A Verbis ad Verbera
by Shadow Quil
Summary: From words to blows. Aires is the last of the Fire Nymphs when her kind are trapped in a volcano. Raised by Trufflehunter, Nikabrik and Trumpkin, she is brought with them to aid Prince Caspian, and finds along the way that passion is simply in a Fire Nymph's nature. (CaspOC) (EdOC) I do not own CoN
1. In Which A Prince Is Knocked Out

Chapter One

At dusk, Aries sprung happily through the dark forest, fire dancing at her fingertips as her blazing hair reached for the heavens. Her walks meant freedom for her and her powers – she could not harm anyone, and there were no Telmarine soldiers nearby to catch her, as they were all afraid of the 'ghosts' in the trees, which were really just Narnians like her. She was free to run, to climb and to let her powers take control.

This Narnian was not a Faun or a Centaur, though; she was a Fire Nymph. When her powers were at rest, she looked like any human, really. Her hair was short, falling only to her shoulders in shades of red, and her eyes resembled molten gold. She had a dusty tan and wore a short dress with three layers, the top layer falling just below her bust was red, the layer covering her stomach was orange and the layer that fell from her waist to her thighs was yellow.

On her legs was a pair of torn red trousers that only covered the tops of her thighs were her dress did not. On her feet she wore long cloth boots that climbed her legs and stopped below her knees, with no sole or heel – just strong cloth. Her heritage gave her the ability to create and mould flames at will, but there was always a restriction to any power, otherwise it wouldn't be fair.

When she was too far from the flames she creates or unconscious, they dissolve, but no amount of water or sand can put them out otherwise. Aries, however, had never tested the limits of her flames, for she had never had the chance or the need. When her powers were active, as they were now, small flames sparked from her fingers and her hair appeared to be aflame.

"Aries, there you are!" a happy, calm voice sounded from her right. Aries paused and hushed the fire within her, allowing her hair to fall softly around her face and the warmth of the fire at her fingertips to cease.

"Hello, Trufflehunter," she greeted with a tilt of her head and a bright smile as the Badger waved her inside. "Hello, Nikabrik, Trumpkin," the girl added, seeing the dwarves inside the underground den when she entered.

"It took you long enough, child!" Nikabrik stated gruffly, crossing his arms over his chest as he frowned at her. "We were about to go and look for you!"

"I assure you that I can handle myself very well, thank you," she laughed, sitting with them at the table as Trufflehunter brought her a plate of bread and cheese to eat – a light, enjoyable evening meal.

"You can handle yourself, of course we know that," Trumpkin agreed, eyeing her in concern, "but what about a Telmarine, or a group of them?"

"I'll burn them," she smirked easily, lighting her fist as a wave of flame shot through her hair.

"Put that out!" Trufflehunter scolded, Aries instantly doing as she was told. "The _last_ thing I need is for this den to catch fire."

"Sorry," Aries apologised meekly, hiding behind her bread as she took a small bite. "Thank you for the food, my friend," the girl then said, remembering her manners – a hard thing to do in the presence of dwarves.

"You have no idea how long I've been awaiting those words!" the Badger praised. "These two combined have fewer manners than a wild animal," he grumbled as Aries smiled. She was glad for her three close friends – friends she would have never met had it not been for the Telmarines forcing them to hide in the forest. They had found her after an attack on the Fire Nymph lands; beautiful desert lands filled with volcanoes, hot and dry.

The fire lands were no longer safe; though no Telmarine had ever expressed an interest in using the land, they kill any Fire Nymph they find there – of course, they were now only a handful of her kind left, and they had returned to the volcano and slept, much like the Dryads in the trees and the Naiads in the rivers. Aries had been found running from the borders and brought into the forest, at the tender age of four, and had been close to Trufflehunter, Nikabrik and Trumpkin ever since.

She remembered well the day they had found her; Trufflehunter had been gathering wood for his fire while Trumpkin and Nikabrik stood ready to fight back any Telmarine that might have found them. Instead, they found a small child curled up between a tree and a shrub, the ground beneath her charred as though it were burnt. They immediately took her in, and Aries lived with them until she turned thirteen and began exploring further, sometimes disappearing for days.

"Are you staying, the night with us, or did you just come for our food before travelling across the forest?" Trumpkin asked her as he took a piece of cheese from her plate. Trufflehunter hit him atop the head and put it back, but Aries didn't mind.

"I shall stay tonight," she decided, "if that is alright with you."

"Of course," Trufflehunter nodded happily. "I do prefer it when you stay, for I know always where you are. It worries me when you leave and we do not hear from you for days at a time."

"I always return, old friend," smiled the Nymph, finishing off her cheese and walking to the water bowl to rinse her plate. She set a small, cool flame in the palm of her hand and held the wooden plate above it to dry it.

"Don't do that!" Trufflehunter said in alarm, snatching the plate away from the lithe girl and rubbing the remaining dampness on his furry arm. "Am I the _only_ one who sees the danger in 'drying' wood with fire?"

"No," Trumpkin shrugged, "but we wanted to see if it would burn or just char, since it's _damp_ wood an' not dry."

"Stop using me for your silly little tests," Aries sighed, sitting back at the table and placing her elbow on the low surface, resting her cheek on her palm. She glanced between Trumpkin and Nikabrik, seeing the slightly guilty – yet still amused – looks on their faces, and shook her head, though the small, fond smile stretched across her lips couldn't be denied.

She stretched and walked from their kitchen into her room, sitting on the bed with her legs crossed. The girl yawned once and lifted her arms above her head, curling her back. She relaxed and turned, nestling her face into the pillow and pulling the covers up around her, ready to fall asleep. Once she was comfortable and warm, Aries smiled.

"Goodnight!" she called to the Badger and two Dwarves.

"G'night!" called Nikabrik.

"Pleasant dreams," bid Trufflehunter.

"Don't wake up and bug me in the middle of the night," said Trumpkin with a shake of his head. Aries laughed and was about to fall asleep when there was a great deal of noise. She jumped up, pushing back her covers, and ran to the kitchen.

"What happened?" she asked, assuming that it was one of them. They all starred at her, having believed _her_ to be the source of the noise.

Hearing yelling from above-ground, everyone stood, eyes wide, but it was Nikabrik who spoke. "What in Aslan's name was that?" he growled as both he and Trumpkin took their swords from where they were leant against the wall and headed out of the hovel. Trading glances, Trufflehunter and Aries followed behind them, the Nymph lighting a flame in her hand so they could see.

"There!" hissed Trumpkin and Aries cut off her flame as soon as she saw the horse heading their way, the rider being dragged from behind. After cutting himself free of his steed, the young rider left go a breath of relief and just sat there panting, unaware of the shocked expressions of the Narnians watching him – a Telmarine.

Hearing Trufflehunter opening the door – he was trying to get them all back inside – the Telmarine looked over at them. Aries could barely see him in the darkness surrounding the forest, but she could tell that he was only around her age, with the typical dark features that all Telmarines possessed. Trumpkin drew his sword and Trufflehunter tried to stop him, but it was no use.

"He's seen us!" the Dwarf said, hurrying forwards to kill the soldier, when they heard more horses drawing nearer. Trumpkin passed by the first Telmarine and ran to the others, yelling to Nikabrik, "You take care of this one!"

Not wanting to get involved in what would surely be bloodshed – she had seen the looks on Trumpkin and Nikabrik's faces when they had identified the human as what he was – Aries silently sped in the direction the horse had galloped, hoping to catch the fine beast and bring him back. There was, after all, no sense in wasting a good horse. Not to mention, she had always wanted one of her own after seeing so many Telmarines riding them.

Aries pushed branches aside carelessly in her hurry to find the beast, for a fast horse was likely to disappear when given the chance. After running for a few minutes – following a trail of broken twigs and hoof-prints in the damp ground – Aries found the black-coated stallion quivering between two elder trees. He was panting, tired from running, and had tangled his reigns in a protruding branch.

"Hush, beauty," she cooed, "Hush now," she called again, gaining the horse's attention. Aries, so as not to spook the creature, approached slowly and placed her hand on his muzzle, rubbing soothingly to calm him. The horse was calming down quickly and Aries moved her hand to his shoulder, rubbing his still shaking muscles gently.

Reaching for his reigns, she took a firm grip on them so that he wouldn't run away again; she hushed him once more and waited for the sounds of other Telmarine horses to lessen. When she could no longer hear the humans, Aries lifted herself onto the saddle of the horse and steered him back to the hovel slowly, not wanting to risk going at a faster pace.

Once there, she pushed herself to sit sideways on his back and slid down, her feet hitting the floor with a soft 'thud'. Aries, who had never owned, or even ridden, a horse before, was now unsure of what to do with him. She glanced at his saddle and, deciding that it may be uncomfortable, took it off and tied him to a tree. When he was tied securely, so that he wouldn't run away, Aries thought that he may be hungry and cold.

"I will be back shortly with oats and a blanket," she told him, though she knew he couldn't understand her. The girl smiled, stroking the horse's nose once before turning and ducking inside.

"We should just kill him and be done with it!" was what Aries heard when she re-entered the den. Looking in shock at the Telmarine on the floor beside the table, Aries couldn't find the words to portray what she thought.

"There you are!" Trufflehunter cried, "I was worried; don't run off like that."

"All I did was find the horse and bring it back," she assured him. "Meanwhile, you knock a Telmarine soldier unconscious and bring him inside your home."

"He had seen us!" the Narnian Badger defended.

"We should kill him!" Nikabrik growled. Sighed and shaking her head, Aries took a bowl full of oats out of a cupboard in the kitchen and a spare blanket from the shelf above the water basin. She then left the den and went to the horse, which she then proceeded to cover with the thin blanket and feed. She stroked the animal gently as he ate and, when he was done, she whispered a 'goodnight' in his large ear and ducked back inside.

"He had the Horn of Queen Susan the Gentle," explained Trufflehunter when she walked back inside, handing him the bowl. "We couldn't just kill him; he had already blown it."

"Where is Trumpkin?" Aries asked, ignoring Trufflehunter's words in favour of finding the Dwarf. Their saddened expressions found him for her. "They took him?"

"He could be dead now," Nikabrik muttered with a snarl. "He's _dead_ while we care for a Telmarine like he's the _High King_ or something! It's idiotic!"

"He had the horn!" attempted Trufflehunter again.

"I don't care about some musical instrument!" he sneered. "It can't do that much good if I still managed to hit him over the head!"

"How hard?" ventured Aries as an after-thought. She assumed that Nikabrik had attempted to kill him with the hit, but had failed – he would have had to hit him hard, in that case.

"What do you mean, friend?" the badge enquired, confused.

"Well, you want to keep him alive," she stated, not listening to Nikabrik's grumbling. "He won't live through the night unless you stem the bleeding – because, knowing my violent friend, there is some – and get him to a warm bed."

"Our beds won't fit him," Trufflehunter said, glancing at Aries with a look of knowing. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Neither will mine," she told them, noticing for the first time just how much larger the Telmarine was than her.

"Yours would be the closest fit," the Badger continued. Looking away and pouting, Aries gave in.

"Alright," she agreed. "Help me get him to by bed and bandage his wound – you shall have to, Trufflehunter, for I am useless at it myself."

"Of course," he smiled, bending down to look at the boy. Sure enough, the forgotten wound on his forehead was bleeding.

"What would you do without me, hmm?" Aries smiled, moving to the Telmarine's head and lifting his shoulders. Trufflehunter took his right leg and glanced at Nikabrik.

"Help us, would you?" he groaned. Nikabrik snarled, but moved to grab the soldier's left leg harshly. The small Narnians aided the girl as she carried the – heavy – Telmarine into her room across from the kitchen. After placing him in her bed, with his legs from his knees and down hanging off the end, she pulled his boots off and placed the covers on him – they only reached from his mid-calve to his elbows, making Aries, who fit under then with room to spare, suddenly realise that, not only was he taller than her, but he was _a lot_ taller than her.

Once he was under the covers – or as far under them as he could be – Aries left to find some bandages. They were in the cupboard under the towel rack, a roll of them, and she brought them back to her room. "Here you are," she said, handing them to the Badger.

"Thank you," he responded, taking them and unravelling the roll. Aries lifted the Telmarine into a sitting position so that Trufflehunter had better access to his head. "We'll have to wait and see how he is in the morning," the badge stated after wrapping the boy's wound. Aries, seeing that he was done, dropped the dark-haired human without a care, his head hitting the pillow with a soft 'thud'.

"Why were you in the forest?" murmured Aries to the Telmarine, but Trufflehunter was the one who replied.

"He was being pursued by others like him," said the Narnian. "Those were the ones who..."

"Who took Trumpkin," finished the Nymph. Trufflehunter patted her hand – which was resting on the Telmarine's chest – and left the room. Glancing down at the human, his face relaxed enough to look like any other like her – a Narnian, that is, not a Nymph.

Deciding to do something rather than just sit around and wait for morning, Aries looked at his clothes. His leather vest would need to come off, lest he move in his sleep and irritate the bruises he no doubt had trailing from his toes to his chin, for she saw none marring his face, from falling off of his horse. After taking off his leather vest, the soldier was left in a loose-fitting poet's shirt and a pair of black trousers. She smiled when she noticed how silly he looked, too tall even for the biggest bed in their house, and brushed some of his hair away from his bandaged forehead.

"I wonder what you would say if you knew you were in the care of three Narnians," she mused, allowing her finger to trace his features – first trailing from his forehead to his chin, then across his lips and over his nose. His skin was so much darker than her own, even though she was quite tanned herself, and needless to say, his hair was a lot darker than hers, too. She imagined his eyes as pools of ink, dark and deep, before she snapped out of her trance.

"Don't get too attached to it," Nikabrik grunted from her doorway, having walked in when Trufflehunter left.

"It's a 'he', Nikabrik," she urged, rolling her eyes, but not facing away from the Telmarine. No one seemed to notice that Aries, too, referred to the Telmarine as 'It'.

"You look like some lovesick teenager," he groaned, "sat on the bed, just watching him sleep. It's creepy."

"I was _not_ watching him sleep," she denied, standing to her full height – which, now that she compared herself to the Telmarine, wasn't as tall as she had once thought. "I was looking at his face. I've never seen a Telmarine so close before without worrying for my life."

"You shouldn't relax, even if he _seems_ to be unconscious," the Dwarf warned her with a presaging stare. "He could jump up at any moment and run you through."

"I doubt it," she laughed, throwing the Telmarine's sheathed sword to the Dwarf, who caught it easily. "I took his leather vest, too," she added, holding it up.

"His boots?" hummed Nikabrik. Aries glanced at them and shrugged.

"He can have them," she decided, looking at the vest again. "They would be far too large for any of us."

"Yet you're keeping the vest?" scoffed the Dwarf.

"I quite like this, to be honest," she admitted.

"This sword isn't so bad, either," Nikabrik agreed, observing the blade's sheath with keen interest.

"You two!" gasped an outraged Trufflehunter, "Stop robbing him in his sleep!"

"We're not," Aries smiled. "We are merely collecting payment for his lodging; speaking of which, I saw a satchel on the horse. Perhaps it contains food," she realised, folding the leather vest over the back of her chair. She smiled, running outside and taking the bag. Aries brought it back in and showed off the loaf of bread – slightly stale – and the apple, which she ate herself.

"Don't hog it!" complained Nikabrik. Aries took one final bite, savouring the taste of the juice that oozed from its flesh, and handed the red fruit to the Dwarf.

"There's not much else in here," she murmured as she sat at the table and emptied it out. "A map, compass, dagger," Aries paused and pulled the weapon to her, raising her eyebrow before deciding that the small, silver dagger belonged to her now. "He's also got a book, but I'll be darned if I could read it."

"I'm no help," the Dwarf cut in. The Badger shook his head at his illiterate friends and sighed, taking the book from her.

"It's a story book," he told them, reading the title. "It's about a dragon, I would assume, and a warrior," the Badger added. Trufflehunter put it back in the bag, along with the map and compass, before placing the satchel on the floor beside the table – Aries refused to give him the dagger. Instead, she rose and walked again to her room, sitting next to the Telmarine.

"Taller than me, darker than me, and now you can read," she smiled. "You're not even awake and I know everything but your name."

Sighing, she pulled away from him and left the room to sit again with her friends, the missing presence of Trumpkin highly noticeable in the darker aura surrounding them. Aries sat at the table, playing with a crumb left over from her dinner, and her new dagger. She wondered why Trumpkin was the one to be taken – she had separated from them first, why couldn't it have been her? She had a better defence against them, after all, since she could have burnt their hands when they tried to grab her. Trumpkin was, for all intents and purposes, useless.

"How about a compromise?" suggested Trufflehunter, who had grown tired of Nikabrik's constant suggestion of killing the Telmarine and being done with it; his words broke Aries out of her thoughts and she immediately began to tell them her 'plan' on what should be done.

"We shall wait until he wakes up," Aries began, her mind on Trumpkin, "and we will ask him how he came to hold the horn. If we do not like his reply, or if he refuses to answer, Nikabrik will run him through; the same shall happen is he is hostile or promises to expose us."

"I like that idea," nodded the Dwarf, but Trufflehunter was astounded at the violence of the company he kept.

"No, no!" he disagreed. "That boy blew the horn, so he must have some key significance in the future of Narnia."

"Or he could have seen it as a cowardly way to escape being killed at the hands of a Dwarf," Aries cut in. "Think about it, why are you sparing him?

"Because of...the horn," admitted the Badger.

"Exactly," she smiled. "Without it, he's just another Telmarine and he knows it; so, he stole our relic from wherever he found it and displayed it purposefully to save his own skin."

"Finally, some sense!" growled their Dwarven friend. Aries' eyes darkened.

"The Telmarines took Trumpkin," she uttered, "and now they will get rid of him like they did to my brothers and sisters. They took him away, so it's only fair that we take away one of their own."

"This boy has a family!" Trufflehunter yelled at last, trying to push some sense through Aries' grief over Trumpkin; normally, she wouldn't have been overly bothered about what they did with the Telmarine, so long as no one was in any danger, but Trumpkin's capture had greatly upset her and now she was taking it out on this human boy.

"We'll wait for morning to come," Nikabrik suggested, also noticing the change in his taller friend. He did not want her to make a decision about someone else's life and then regret it, so he would give her time to regain her usual senses.

"Thank you," gasped Trufflehunter in relief. Finally agreeing, Nikabrik and the badge turned in for the night, Aries telling them that she would sleep on the living room floor with a blanket that night, as the Telmarine soldier had taken her bed. When they left, she went to her room for a third time and just looked down on the boy.

"You're only a little older than I," she whispered, "yet you have so much hate directed at you purely due to your heritage. I wonder, though...if times were different, could you, too, have been someone I called friend?" she asked him. As expected, her only reply was the soldier's even breathing as he slept.


	2. In Which A Mouse Is Met

Chapter Two

"Wake up, Aries," Trufflehunter urged that morning. The sun was spilling in, the light shining in her eyes, and Aries sighed in happiness – she loved the sun, for its warmth and light was like the fire that lit her soul. Suddenly, the events of the previous day hit her and she sighed.

"Is he up yet?" she asked after a moment.

"Not yet," the badge replied. "Come on, and have some nice hot soup."

"Don't mind if I do," Aries smiled, walking into the kitchen. She stretched out the kinks in her neck and back, a brief ripple of flame falling from her head to her feet and dispersing into the ground – a typical wakeup procedure that scared the life out of Trufflehunter, Nikabrik and Trumpkin when they had first seen it.

"This bread is so stale," Nikabrik complained after taking a bite of the bread Aries had found the previous day, putting it back down on the table and slurping his soup. Aries picked up a spoon and ate her own more civilly, smiling fondly at her old friend's table manners – or lack thereof. She reached behind her and picked up the leather vest she had taken off of the boy, slipping it on and fastening it.

"I'll just give him some soup, then," appeased Trufflehunter, smirking when he noticed the irritation on Nikabrik's face at the mention of their 'guest'. "He should be coming around soon."

"Good for him," Aries murmured.

"Aries, will you take that off," Trufflehunter sighed. "It is _far_ too big for you, and it doesn't belong to you."

"It's not _that_ big," she lied, knowing she was wrong. While the vest had covered the Telmarine's torso only, it fell to Aries' thighs, covering all of her clothing except her trousers, and was very loose – she found, though, that it was more comfortable that it first appeared and she liked the feel of it.

"I wonder how his head is," Trufflehunter muttered, stirring the soup above the fire.

"Nikabrik _did_ hit him pretty hard," Aries mused, clutching her new dagger in one hand as she ate her soup with the other.

"Yeah, well I don't think I hit him hard _enough_," the Dwarf scoffed and Aries laughed at his words.

"_Nikabrik_," Trufflehunter began, annoyed now, "he's _just_ a _boy_."

"He's a _Telmarine_," Nikabrik responded, "not some _lost puppy_. You _said_ you were gonna get rid of him!"

"_No_, I said I was going to _take care of him_," the badge corrected.

"Why can't we all just _be __**rid**__ of him_?" Aries asked them, running her hands through her short hair.

"_Don't_ you light up again, miss," warned the Badger. "I've had quite enough flames for one morning from _this_ one," he added, pointing a spoon at Nikabrik, who growled. "Anyway, we can't kill him now. I've just bandaged his head; it'd be like killing a guest."

"Oh and how do you think his friends are treating their 'guest'?" Nikabrik asked with false sincerity. Aries rolled her eyes.

"I don't think you can call them 'friends', Nikabrik," she cut in. "They were chasing him. How often do you chase me down on horseback, ready to run me through with your sword?"

"We don't have horses," he muttered, "but if we did, it'd happen every time you tried to steal my soup!" he added when he caught her leaning across the table towards his bowl. Slapping her hand and drawing his meal closer, Nikabrik sneered.

"I happen to have a horse, for your information," she sang smugly.

"It's doesn't count," Nikabrik scoffed. "That horse belongs to the Telmarine, not you."

"I'll offer a deal," she shrugged. "He can have his vest and weapon back, if he allows me to keep his horse. It seems fair," she laughed, only to have her laughter turn to a shocked yelp when the very boy they were discussing ran into the room, picking up a fire-poke and surprising Trufflehunter into dropping the soup he had dished up for the Telmarine.

Aries stood from the table quickly, moving behind the Telmarine and standing in her doorway. She quietly unsheathed her – his – dagger, just in case he managed to hurt Nikabrik. This was unlikely, but she preferred to be prepared rather than feel guilty about doing nothing when it matters. Trufflehunter looked between the three of them – the Telmarine hadn't noticed Aries yet, though – and groaned.

"Hey, hey!" yelled Trufflehunter when Nikabrik collected his sword and the Telmarine picked up another fire poke, the two now fighting to kill – or, in the Telmarine's case, to stay alive. "Stop that!" he yelled again, still to no effect. In the time it took Trufflehunter to yell at them, Aries had unthinkingly compared her height to the now standing Telmarine, only to gulp slightly when she realised that she barely reached the middle of his upper-arm in height.

"I told you, we should've killed him when we had the chance," Nikabrik sneered, holding his sword steady as the boy prepared to hit back any more swipes.

"We still do," Aries said from behind the boy, freeing her powers and getting ready to stab him. The boy's face twisted into a distressed expression, for he was faced with a double-edged blade – if he turns, he gets a sword through his chest, and if he doesn't something else will kill him.

"Don't you dare, young lady!" bellowed the badge, forcing the girl to sheath the dagger and extinguish her flames, scowling. "Nikabrik, would you put your sword down! You know why we can't kill him!"

"If we're taking a vote," the Telmarine said, his accent another clear proof of who he was, "I'm with him," he added, speaking about the Badger.

"Then it's two votes both ways," Nikabrik grunted, "and since this can't be settled through voting, let's let fate decide. If you die when I stab you, you were _meant_ to be _dead_!" he yelled, lunging again, but the Telmarine dodged and they regained their positions, standing still. This time, though, the boy had been knocked to the ground and was sat in the doorway to Aries' room.

"Stop!" commanded Trufflehunter.

"We can't let him go," warned the Dwarf, "he's seen us."

"Enough, Nikabrik!" spoke the Narnian firmly, "Or do I have to sit on your head again?" he warned. The tone he was using clearly told the Dwarf that the conversation was over and the Telmarine would live – for now. "Aries, will you go and get some clean bandages, please?" he requested the girl as Nikabrik and the Telmarine lowered their weapons.

"...Sure," she agreed after a moment's hesitation. Aries, still behind the Telmarine and therefore in her own room's doorway, stepped over him and hurried to get another bandage. She felt the boy's eyes on her back, but he soon looked away when Trufflehunter turned his rant on the soldier.

"Thank you," nodded the Badger, "and _you_," he said at last, addressing the boy, who turned to look at him, "look what you made me do!" he scolded, bending down to clean up the spilt soup. "I spent half the morning on that soup," he grumbled as Aries came back.

"I'll do that," she offered, handing him the bandage and kneeling on the floor with a rag to mop up the soup. "One clumsy Telmarine and I'm back to doing chores," she complained once, sighing. Aries glanced at him and their eyes met – she noticed for the first time just how dark his eyes were – but both looked away when Trufflehunter stepped between them.

"Don't you have a horse to feed, Aries?" the badge asked her as he moved to change the bandages on the Telmarine's head, a bowl of oats in his free hand, and she smiled.

"Thank you for reminding me," she sighed, gratefully accepting the bowl of oats Trufflehunter was holding out to her. The Telmarine seemed to perk up at this exchange and watched her.

"You have my horse?" he asked. Aries scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Not if you want your armour back," she muttered, winking at Nikabrik as he guffawed at their private joke. The Telmarine seemed confused for a moment, but Aries didn't explain and she left the burrow to feed the horse. It neighed as she approached, bowl of oats in hand, and she stroked him as he ate, like the previous night.

After feeding the horse, Aries was about to go inside when the door opened and the Telmarine walked out; they bumped into each other, but neither fell – the Telmarine had caught her by the elbows as she placed her hands on his chest to steady herself. They stood close for a moment until the horse's noises woke them to the living world and the boy released her, allowing Aries to step back.

"Where are you going?" she asked him, seeing that he was almost fully dressed and ready to leave. He had his cloak and sword back, so she assumed that he had agreed to their unspoken terms and the horse was now hers. She wasn't overly happy that she would have to give up the vest, but it was worth it.

"Away, anywhere," he replied quickly, but he made no move to leave, as he hasty words would suggest. Instead, he starred at her.

"What?" she asked at last; she was uncomfortable with his eyes gazing at her so intently.

"Nothing," he assured, shaking his head. "I supposed that I am just...still in shock about the existence of Narnians."

"I see," Aries nodded. "If you don't mind my asking, why were you being chased by those other soldiers?"

"I assume that you believe me to be a soldier as well?" he guessed and Aries nodded, seeing his small smile. "No, I am not," he confessed, holding his head high. "I am Prince Caspian the Tenth, and you are?"

"Aries of the Fire Nymphs," she replied, nodding her head. Queen Susan's horn no longer hung from his belt and Aries tilted her head. "_I_ assume that Trufflehunter told you about that horn, right?"

"The Badger?" he hummed, "Yes, he did."

"And you're just going to leave?" she frowned. Caspian looked long and hard at her troubled face and sighed.

"I was told to blow the horn when I was in danger," he said at last. "I didn't know that it would then tie me to the remaining Narnians. I'm sorry, but my uncle will just keep hunting me down, and I need to get as far away as I can."

"I see," she said, turning to go back to the horse, picking up his saddle and tying it into him. Aries expected Caspian to take his horse, so his next words were slightly surprising.

"Your violent friend explained your terms to me," Caspian called, getting her attention. She looked at him as he gestured to his leather vest – which she still wore – as well as his dark cloak and sword. "I hope you enjoy your horse, but I would like the leather vest back."

"I hope you enjoy running away," she replied coolly, taking off the vest while resisting the urge to let go of her powers and scream at him – why blow the horn if he was just going to run?

"I am sorry," he said, taking the vest back and putting it on, "I really am," he added after he had fastened it. Aries couldn't deny that it suited him far better than her.

"Just go," Aries permitted. Hearing him sigh, she was expecting more words, but the rustling of leaves under foot confirmed that he was leaving. Feeling strangely disappointed – their only hope of freedom in almost 1300 years now gone – Aries resigned herself to carrying the empty bowl inside, but was stopped from entering again.

"He's gone?" gasped Trufflehunter when he came outside. "Unbelievable!"

"Why?" Aries frowned. "If you knew he was coming outside to leave, why is him being gone so strange?"

"I thought he would have stayed longer, to speak with you," the Badger explained and a look of confusion crossed the Nymph's face. "Oh, he kept asking questions about you; what you were, why you were living in the forest, how you came to be here and not in the lands of your people. He seemed very interested in you."

"All he asked of me was my name, and that was after he had given his," she responded. "_His Majesty_ seemed to be in a hurry, so it is no surprise that he is gone."

"We must follow him!" Trufflehunter decided, pulling Nikabrik along behind him in his haste. Sighing slowly, Aries put the bowl down on a tree root, pulled herself onto the horse and followed them, though to her the pace was slower due to the horse and their shorter legs.

"He's going to notice us," she sang happily, smiling at her friends.

"No, he'll notice _you_," Nikabrik replied gruffly. "We're hiding quite well, thank you."

"Though I can still hear you," Caspian's voice said bluntly, breaking through their small argument. Trufflehunter and Nikabrik stepped into view, slightly put-out by being caught so soon, and Aries – who he could see anyway, as she was on horseback – just nodded knowingly.

"I told you," she mused, petting the horse's neck.

"Oh," Trufflehunter groaned, "I just think we should wait for the Kings and Queens of Old."

"They're coming?" Aries asked and Nikabrik shrugged.

"That's what the horn's supposed to do, right?" he replied and Aries nodded, though even she was unsure if they would actually come. Caspian looked between the three of them and didn't reply; all he did was turn and walk away again.

"Fine, go then!" yelled Trufflehunter unhappily. "See if the others'll be as _understanding_!"

"Or maybe I'll come with you," Nikabrik smirked. "I wanna see how you explain things to the _Minotaurs_," he added, nodding when Caspian paused and turned towards them again.

"Minotaurs?" he repeated in question, looking to Aries. "They're real?" he asked her, fear creeping into his voice. She nodded, smiling.

"And _very_ bad-tempered," grumbled Trufflehunter, stepping ahead of the Prince.

"Yeah, not to mention _big_," Nikabrik added.

"_Huge_, actually," shrugged Aries as she urged the horse forwards, about to go passed Caspian herself. He reached out and took the horse's reigns, stopping her.

"What about Centaurs?" he enquired, leading her and the horse – he had obviously seen that she wasn't skilled in riding, and was making his attempts to help her very subtle. "Do they still exist?"

"Well, actually, the Centaurs will probably fight on your side," Trufflehunter informed him, "but there's no telling what the others will do." After the Badger said this, Caspian stopped; this stopped the horse and Aries, too.

"What about Aslan?" he asked at last, the questioning seeming to have been on his mind since he had woken up in the presence of three Narnians. Trufflehunter and Nikabrik stopped, glancing at each other and then up at Aries, who nodded – this action was noticed by the Prince. "Is...Is _she_ Aslan?"

"Don't be absurd," Aries scoffed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. Nikabrik frowned and took a warning step towards the Prince.

"How do you know so much about us?" he asked cautiously. Caspian seemed all too happy to answer his question.

"Stories," he replied easily.

"Really?" the only girl amongst them asked, sitting up straighter when Caspian nodded, a light of glee in her eyes.

"Your father told you stories about Narnia?" the Badger questioned. Caspian looked away, shrugging.

"Well, no," he replied, "it was actually my Professor," he added, but his posture then changed and he strode passed them, pulling the horse, and so Aries, with him. "Listen, I am sorry, but these are not the kind of questions you should be asking." His tone was angry, strained, and Aries frowned.

"We cannot ask who told you stories of us," she spoke, "and yet you question us on the existence of other Narnians? I am sorry, Prince, but that hardly seems fair."

"I suppose it is not," he replied. Aries looked at him, but was distracted when Trufflehunter sniffed the air.

"What is it?" Nikabrik asked.

"Human," replied Trufflehunter.

"Prince Caspian?" suggested Aries, all of them now taking in short sentences to save time – attacks were unlike, but with Caspian here they had to be ready.

"No," the Badger answered, "them," he said urgently, seeing a large group of Telmarine archers ready to shoot them all down.

"He's there!" one yelled, spotting Caspian.

"Run!" yelled Trufflehunter. All of them did this, Caspian still holding onto the horse's reigns so that the stallion did not gallop away with Aries. Arrows began sailing towards them and Aries gasped, dodging the attacks quickly as the others were.

"They're gaining on us!" she called in alarm, looking behind her.

"Oh!" cried Trufflehunter as he fell to the ground, an arrow in his shoulder.

"Oh, no," gasped Nikabrik, about to run back, but Caspian was quicker.

"No, I'll go," he offered, running back quickly and letting go of the horse. As soon as his hand left the reigns, Aries jumped down and picked up Nikabrik, putting him on the saddle.

"We'll be quicker if you're up here," she said as an explanation, and Nikabrik didn't argue – it _would_ be faster for her and Caspian to run while he and Trufflehunter were on the beast.

"I've got him!" Caspian said, catching up to them. He placed the wounded Badger in front of Nikabrik on the saddle and he and Aries ran on either side of the horse. Looking back, they saw soldiers falling to some unseen force, but there were still archers shooting at them and so they couldn't stop.

"Burn them, Aries," Nikabrik orders, and the girl grabbed onto the back of the saddle. Hoisting herself up, so that she could face the archers and not have to stop moving, she released her powers and swung her arm in two full circles before she threw a ball of flames at one of the Telmarines.

"You were going to do that to me?" Caspian gasped, remembering when she had threatened him that morning, and Aries shrugged.

"Or stab you," she told him easily. "I didn't, though," she added when she saw his shocked expression, throwing another ball of fire. Obviously, the idea of someone so small actually killing him was too much for the Telmarine.

With two Telmarines down at her own hands, and the unseen force taking down the others, there was only one remaining archer. They all stopped and Caspian drew his sword, ready to fight off the last Telmarine, but the man was busy attacking the area around his feet. He seemed panicked, stabbing the dirt and swiping the grass, yelling.

"What's going on?" Nikabrik questioned; frowning as he turned around on the horse to see a little better, the Dwarf was a shocked as Aries, Trufflehunter and the Prince himself when Caspian was knocked to the ground his sword getting knocked out of his hand.

"Choose your last words carefully, Telmarine," his attacker allowed. Caspian and the others looked on his chest to see who had the power to not only have taken out most of their pursuers, but also to knock Caspian to the ground.

"You are a Mouse," Caspian realised at the same time as Aries, Trufflehunter and Nikabrik – though, unlike the Prince, the other three recognised the Mouse almost immediately. The creature sighed, but kept his weapon raised to Caspian's neck.

"I was hoping for something a _little_ more original," he said at last. "Pick up your sword," he ordered, gesturing to the weapon on the ground.

"Uhh," Caspian considered, looking at his sword and then at Aries. She shook her head quickly. "No thanks."

"Go on, pick it up!" the Mouse said again, this time more firmly. "I will not fight an unarmed man."

"Which is why I may live longer," he began, "if I choose not to cross blades with you, noble Mouse."

"I said I would not fight you," the mouse corrected him, "I did not say I'd let you _live_."

"Reepicheep!" recognised Trufflehunter, "Stay your blade!"

"Trufflehunter?" realised Reepicheep, "Nikabrik! Aries, are you here too?"

"Present," the girl replied, stepping out from beside the horse.

"I trust you all have a _very_ good reason for this _untimely_ interruption," the mouse said stubbornly, not happy about being stopped from killing the final Telmarine in sight.

"We don't," Nikabrik cut in, "go ahead."

"Nikabrik!" laughed Aries.

"He's the one who blew the horn," Trufflehunter said before Reepicheep could listen to Nikabrik's allowance and Aries' laugh – the amusement on her face did nothing to save Caspian; that was for sure.

"What?" the Narnian rodent gasped.

"Then let him bring it forward," a booming voice called from the forest. Aries turned and her eyes widened upon seeing a group of Centaurs. "This is the reason we have gathered," their leader announced.

"Let him up," muttered the Fire Nymph, stepping forwards and shooing Reepicheep from Caspian, helping the Telmarine to his feet. "Well?" she asked him, seeing his shocked face as he starred at the creatures.

"Well, what?" he asked back. Aries rolled her eyes and took the horn from his belt, holding it up.

"The Horn of Old Queen Susan the Gentle," she presented, stepping aside and placing it in Caspian's hands. The Centaurs stepped towards him and observed the horn carefully.

"It is so," the leader nodded, his people murmuring amongst themselves. "You will come with us, Telmarine. Since hearing the horn, many Narnians have gathered on the West side of this forest, on the Dancing Lawn. You shall come and plead your case; your fate shall be decided there."

"Of course," Caspian, too afraid of these great beasts to argue, nodded. The leader of the Centaurs turned and led his people – as well as Prince Caspian, Aries, Trufflehunter, Nikabrik and Reepicheep – to the gathering of the Narnians to the West. While the smaller creatures remained on the back of the horse, Caspian caught up and walked beside Aries.

"You fear them," she mused, a small sneer across her mouth.

"They are huge," he replied, as though the reason for his fear was obvious. Aries rolled her eyes and looked away from him. "Of course I am afraid; I am a Telmarine amongst Narnian, many of whom," he glanced towards Nikabrik, "are out for my blood."

"Is that the only reason you are with us now?" the Nymph scoffed, walking faster. The Prince increased his speed as well, frowning at the look of upset on her face.

"Have I done something in the last few moments to upset you?" he questioned, trying to keep an eye on his path while also looking for a reaction in Aries. She sighed and her eyes flickered towards him, but then back to the forest so that she would not stumble.

"If you cannot understand your folly," she ground out, "I see no reason to explain it to you. You are a big boy, _Prince_; figure it out." With those words spoken, she walked faster to speak with Nikabrik – who complimented her on her harsh treatment of Caspian – and Trufflehunter and Reepicheep.

"Perhaps you should introduce yourself, Aries," Trufflehunter suggested, looking at the Fire Nymph. She tilted her head.

"To Prince Caspian?" she asked. "I already have."

"No, you silly girl," he sighed, shaking his head, "to the Centaurs. It we are to keep company with them, we should be polite. You have the honour of being our peace-keeper."

"What fun," she muttered, increasing her pace again until she was close to the leader of the Centaurs. "Excuse me, sir," she called, getting his attention. "I am Aries of the Fire Nymphs. May I know you?"

"I am Glenstorm," he replied, gruffly but politely. "This is my wife, Windmane, and our three sons, Ironhoof, Suncloud, and Rainstone."

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you," she said, bowing her head as Windmane and her sons did the same. "My companions are Trufflehunter the Badger, Nikabrik the Black Dwarf, Reepicheep the Mouse, and the Telmarine is Prince Caspian the Tenth."

"I hope to know them well," answered Windmane, a small smile on her face.

"I am sure they feel the same," smiled Aries.

"Tell me, Aries of the Fire Nymphs," spoke Glenstorm in a commanding tone, "do you trust this Prince Caspian? Do you believe that he has the ability to lead us to victory against the Telmarines?"

"I believe...that he may try," she said finally. Aries knew that Trufflehunter would not want her to turn the Centaurs against Caspian, but she herself did not trust him with her own life, let alone the lives of all remaining Narnians.

"I see," Glenstorm nodded. Aries glanced back at Caspian, who was conversing with Reepicheep, and sighed, closing her eyes.

"I believe that he has the potential to be the best thing that has ever happened to our kind," she corrected herself, praying to Aslan that she didn't end up regretting the words she spoke.

"He seems like someone to stand by," Ironhoof, the eldest of Glenstorm's sons, stated as he too looked at Caspian. "We will think on your words, Fire Nymph."

"That is all I ask," she replied, slowing her speed to walk on the other side of the horse to Caspian.

"What did you say?" Trufflehunter asked. "What did _they_ say?"

"We spoke of Prince Caspian, actually," she replied, not going into depth even when Caspian looked at her in interest, "and they said that there would consider what I told them."

"What _did_ you tell them?" Nikabrik asked hopefully – his hope being that Caspian was dead before the sun fell below the land.

"The truth," Aries responded. No one was sure whether this was good for Caspian or not, as Aries seemed to have a mixed opinion of him – she clearly agreed with Nikabrik, to an extent, but not enough to say that she hated him or wanted him dead; however, she wouldn't go out of her way to list reasons not to kill him, and wouldn't interfere on an attempt on his life.

"Oh dear," Trufflehunter sighed, shaking his head. "Nikabrik may have his wish after all."

"Thank Aslan!" the Black Dwarf cried. Caspian crossed to the other side of the horse and took Aries by the elbow, looking deep into her eyes.

"You would not condemn me, would you?" he asked, seeking only the truth. The girl, who was unsure of how the Centaur would take her words, only allowed her elbow to heat until Caspian had to let go, nursing a superficial burn on his hand.

"You will have to wait and see how the other Narnians take you," she told him, lowering her head and not talking for the rest of the journey.


	3. In Which There Is A Fire With No Smoke

Chapter Three

They walked through the day and, by the time they made it to the settlement the other Narnians had made on the Dancing Lawn, it was already dark. The Narnians there moved for them as they walked to the centre of a forming ring of creatures, Caspian being the one they observed the closest. This was, of course, expected of them; he was a Telmarine amongst Narnians, as he had said himself, and he had every reason to doubt his living for another day.

The crowd closed around them, trapping Prince Caspian, Aries, Trufflehunter, Nikabrik and Reepicheep in the centre as the Centaurs moved to stand beside the Minotaurs. A group of Mice scurried forwards, standing around Reepicheep, as Trufflehunter moved to Caspian's left side, Aries stepping to stand on his right. Nikabrik, feeling no obligation to get closer to the Prince, stood where he was.

"State your name and reason to live, Telmarine!" a Fox spat as he stepped forwards of the crowd. The other Narnians muttered, but were silent when the Telmarine opened his mouth to speak.

"I am Prince Caspian the Tenth, and I can help you," he told them, showing them the Horn of Queen Susan the Gentle.

"Who speaks for this Prince?" a Faun asked quietly, looking at the group around Caspian. Trufflehunter stepped forwards.

"I, Trufflehunter the Badger, speak for him," he told them, ignoring the whispers asking why he would defend a Telmarine.

"As do I, Reepicheep the Mouse," announced Reepicheep, standing beside the Badger.

"What about the other two?" questioned another Narnian from the gathered ring of creatures; this time, it was a Hedgehog with his wife and child beside him.

"I, Nikabrik the Black Dwarf," he began, "do _not_ speak for this Telmarine and do _not_ plan to side with him, either," growled Nikabrik, spitting and stepping away from Caspian, into the throng of beasts. "He can die, for all I care," he muttered, standing at the front of the crowd. Many roared in agreement, but they hushed and turned to Aries.

"I speak for no one," she decided, "but you should hear him out, at least. Offer him this much before making your choice," the girl added before the Minotaurs to their left could charge forwards and rip him apart. She stepped away from him, as Nikabrik did, and stood between the Centaurs and the Minotaurs; Suncloud, Glenstorm's middle child, was to her right, and nodded in greeting, a gesture Aries was quick to return.

The Narnians were quite for a moment before they erupted into a gathering of endless chatter and noise; some yelled for his blood to be spilt, causing Nikabrik to grin, while others demanded proof that he was the one who blew the horn of Queen Susan the Gentle. That last comment caught the attention of a certain Black Dwarf and he stepped forwards again, pointing to the horn in Prince Caspian's hands as the young Telmarine looked around, worried for his life.

"All this horn proves is that his kind has stolen yet another thing from us Narnians!" sneered Nikabrik, dropping his accusing finger but holding his accusing stare steady on the Telmarine. Caspian stood straight and frowned before giving his reply.

"I didn't steal anything," Caspian implored darkly, not one to stand and allow himself to be so blatantly insulted. Aries watched, wondering how the Narnians would take his statement. Her answer was soon found, when people began yelling again.

"You didn't steal anything?" a Minotaur's voice rang through, louder than all others and close enough to charge – killing Caspian before Aries could blink; he was holding himself back, if only because everyone was set on honouring her request and he would not be the one to stand out. "Shall we list the things the Telmarines have taken?"

"Our homes," called a woman from the herd of Centaurs, pointing at Caspian.

"Our freedom," a Faun followed her example.

"What about our villages?" another voice question loudly, though Aries couldn't see which creature had spoken.

"Our lives!" yelled another Narnian, also too deep in the crowd to be identified by the Nymph. Caspian was turning, trying to keep up with the people yelling at him.

"You killed our people!" an aging Boar yelled. Aries looked away, his statement hitting close to her memories; she hated that she too was associating Caspian only with his people, but it was hard to separate him from them when she hardly knew him.

"You stole Narnia!" yet another creature accused. Caspian could take no more and he finally spoke, the crowd only hushing slightly to hear him.

"You all would hold me accountable for all the crimes my people committed before my time?" he questioned, demanding an answer. Most heard his tone, the voice of someone in control – a King – and backed down, but not Nikabrik.

"Accountable and punishable!" he insisted, stepping towards Caspian as if he aimed to carry out the punishment himself. Aries, who had been minutely impressed at the strength Caspian had to speak against so many, turned to Nikabrik.

"Oh, shut up you ridiculous old Dwarf!" she snarled, fire lighting her hands and consuming her hair as she stepped between Caspian and the Dwarf. The look in her eyes dared him to step around her, or go through her, and kill the Prince.

"Calm down, dear," soothed Trufflehunter as many backed away from the ablaze girl, shocked as the realisation of what she was hit them.

"He came with a Fire Nymph?" one Narnian whispered.

"She spoke for him, told us to listen," another said back. "Maybe we should trust him?"

"You lot of fools! Just because one little Fire Nymph is speaking out for him now," Nikabrik growled, "does not change who he is, nor what he is saying!"

"Ha!" laughed Reepicheep humourlessly, stepping towards him, "That is rich coming from you, Dwarf! Or have you forgotten that it was _your_ people who fought alongside the _White Witch_?"

"Yes," Nikabrik said, calmer than most would expect, "and I'd gladly fight with her again if it would rid of these _barbarians_!"

"Then it's lucky that it is not in your power to bring her back," Trufflehunter said, stepping away from the now-calm Aries and towards Nikabrik, "or are you suggesting that we ask this boy to go against Aslan now?" he added, knowing that the crowd wouldn't be happy with this remark.

As expected, there was an outcry of angry voices; Minotaurs roared and Squirrels chirped madly, but everyone knew that this was not going to happen any time soon. If there was a chance of this, the wise Badger would not have spoken for the Prince in the first place. Looking around and then finally at her old Dwarven friend, Aries sighed.

"You did _not_ fight alongside the Ice Queen, Nikabrik," she said softly, everyone holding their voices to hear her, "just as Prince Caspian was not amongst the Telmarines who first stole Narnia for their own. The past has happened, and we are here to judge him as Prince Caspian, not a Telmarine conqueror, just as you are judged as Nikabrik, though sly and underhanded you may be."

"Aries is right," said Trufflehunter. "Some of you may have forgotten, but we Badgers remember well. Narnia was never right, except when a Son of Adam sat on the throne, as King," he told them, reminding them why they needed Caspian in the first place.

"He's a Telmarine! Why would we want him as our King?" yelled Nikabrik, raising his hands. The crowd yelled with him.

"Because I can help you," claimed Caspian, his voice projecting to be heard by all, even with their yelling.

"Why should we believe you?" asked Aries, truly intrigued by why Caspian thought himself worthy of fighting with the Narnians. He gazed at her, thankful – for she had been the one to save him from Nikabrik's persecution – but also anguished, for she was now the one speaking against him. Aries, though, just wanted an answer.

She had hoped before to be saved and reunited with her people – when she had first been with Trumpkin, walking through the woods. He was telling her stories about Aslan, some that she had heard and other she had not, while they collected wood for Trufflehunter's fireplace. Aslan had seemed like someone to place all her hopes in for a better life, yet after seven years of hoping and still no sign, she had grown weary of hope.

"Beyond these woods, I am a Prince," he told them, his firm tone quickly drawing silence from the Narnians. "The Telmarine throne is rightfully mine," he continued, his voice growing louder. "Help me claim it, and I can bring peace between us." He turned as he spoke, so that he could address everyone and let them all see the sincerity on his face.

"It is true," Glenstorm said, coming forward, "the time _is_ ripe," he continued, and when he did not elaborate at first, Caspian's worry for his life returned; when no one yelled death-cries, he calmed.

"Glenstorm?" prompted Aries when he stopped, looking at the ground as he held his sword.

"I watch the skies, for it is mine to watch," he continued, glancing once at Trufflehunter, "as it is yours to remember, Badger. Tarva, the Lord of Victory, and Alambil, the Lady of Peace, have come together in the high heavens, and now here on Earth, a Son of Adam has risen and come forth to offer us back our freedom," he finished, looking at Caspian. The Narnians were quiet for a moment, considering the wise words of the Centaur.

"Is this possible?" a Squirrel chirped as he scurried into view. "Do you really think there could be peace? Do you? I mean – I mean, really?"

"Two days ago," he said to the Squirrel, before turning to speak also the rest of the Narnians, "I didn't believe in the existence of talking animals, or Dwarves, Centaurs, or Nymphs. Yet here you are, in strength and numbers that we Telmarines could never have imagined," he told them truthfully. He raised Queen Susan's horn. "Whether this horn is magic or not, it brought us together here. Together, we have a chance to take back what is ours!"

"If you will lead us, Prince, then my sons and I offer you our swords," Glenstorm said, unsheathing his sword and holding it high. The other Centaurs behind him followed his example, lifting their swords from their waists and holding it parallel with their torsos.

"And we shall offer you our lives," said Reepicheep, standing with his pack of brave Mice, all bowing to Caspian, "unreservedly." Other Narnians followed the example given and raised their weapons. Caspian turned and his eyes show pride at his gathering of followers.

His gaze found Aries, as it often seemed to; she was stood between a Faun and the group of Minotaurs, an unreadable expression on her face. For a moment, Prince Caspian wondered if she would join Nikabrik against him, but she inclined her head to him. When her face rose, her hair was alight and she lifted her arm, her hand now lit with a flame; a smile was spread across her face.

"Miraz's army will not be far behind us, Sire," Trufflehunter said, forcing Caspian to turn away from Aries.

"If we are to be ready for them when they come, we need to hurry to find soldiers and weapons," he said to all Narnians. He then turned to Glenstorm, who still held his sword before him. "I'm sure they will be here soon," Caspian assured quietly, speaking – of course – of the Kings and Queens of Old.

"We need somewhere we can dig in," Aries said to Caspian, though all Narnians were listening. "It must be somewhere defendable, where the Telmarines would be hard-worked to get to us."

"_Aslan's How_," someone suggested, stepping forwards. It was Rainstone, Glenstorm's youngest son. "It is defendable and surrounded by forest – we would have a clear advantage if they chose to wage war on our own territory, after all."

"It sounds good," Prince Caspian agreed. "We will change location to there in the morning. For now, we rest and regain our strength. I understand that many of you have travelled, as have I and my companions."

After these words were spoken, many of the Narnians moved away from the gathering to find somewhere acceptable for rest that night. Seeing some of the children were cold, Aries planned to gather some wood. She wandered around, picking up dry twigs and broken branches, as well as any dead leaves she could find, and piled them in the centre – where Caspian had stood. This caught the attention of Nikabrik, who was quick to join her.

"Who do you stand with, Aries?" her Dwarven friend asked, dropping a pile of wood onto the soon-to-be fire. "Are you for the reign of another Telmarine, or will you stand against him?"

"I do not know, Nikabrik," Aries answered honestly. "He seems to be the right choice, but also the worst choice. While he is a Telmarine, he is a Son of Adam who promises peace. With so many paths of victory and defeat laid out before us, how can we clearly see whether he is good or bad for Narnia?"

"We cannot," the Dwarf agreed, "but we _can_ kill him before he has the chance to be _bad_ for Narnia."

"And then we will never see his potential to be good," she smiled, dropping a final collection of dry leaves and wood before setting them alight with fire from her own hand.

"Good thinking, Aries," Trufflehunter nodded approvingly as he joined her and Nikabrik by the rising flames.

"A fire could warn the Telmarines of our location!" argued a Mole, fearful as he dug his burrow.

"Her fire brings no smoke, stupid Mole," Nikabrik growled, moving to warm his cold hands by the flames. "One of the many perks of knowing a Fire Nymph; you're always warm," he added smugly as other cold Narnians gathered around the fire, bringing branches and such to make it big enough for every to be warmed by it.

"What were you discussing with Nikabrik, child?" the curious and worried Badger asked his friend quietly as they walked away from the Dwarf. Aries watched Prince Caspian step towards the fire, smiling as the heat washed over his body, and she sighed.

"He was asking me whether I believed the Prince should live or die," she answered bluntly.

"And you told him..." Trufflehunter trailed off, hoping that she would give him the rest.

"I told him that I did not know," she smiled. "I did not know if Prince Caspian should be killed for being a Telmarine, or live for being a Son of Adam, and possibly our future King."

"He promises peace," Trufflehunter prompted.

"I trust that he will try," Aries nodded, "but sometimes, trying isn't enough to bring victory."

"Aries, may I speak with you?" Glenstorm asked her, stepping in front of her and Trufflehunter. She smiled.

"Of course," the girl accepted. "Excuse me, old friend," she said, excusing herself and following Glenstorm away from the Narnians, most of whom were enjoying the warmth the fire offered.

"I thank you for the fire," he said after a moment. "Many of the children were cold, and it was wise of you to think about how to warm everyone without bringing soldiers upon us."

"I try to help where I can," she nodded. "Pardon me, but is that all?"

"No," he replied quickly. "I also wanted to know, why did you tell my family and myself that you supported the Prince, and then speak against him in the gathering."

"I never told you I supported His Highness," she corrected. "I neither supported him nor wanted his blood; in my eyes, he can be trusted to try his best to fulfil his promises to us, but ultimately, he is a living creature with faults and weaknesses, just like any other."

"You doubt him?"

"As I doubt myself," she replied. "Do not misunderstand me, Glenstorm; I respect him and I do hope he can do as he says, but everyone makes mistakes and no mortal is infallible."

"I agree," Glenstorm said, glad that she was sensible in her answer. She was someone he could trust for a reliable opinion, someone he would trust around his people – which was a good thing, as he had seen that his sons found her as interesting as many other Narnians did.

"Dear, you should warm yourself," Windmane suggested, approaching them with Ironhoof. Glenstorm nodded.

"Thank you again for the fire, Aries," he said, watching the girl nod, as he left with his wife. Ironhoof hung back, staring at Aries.

"Yes?" she smiled, raising an eyebrow in question. Ironhoof shrugged and walked closer to her.

"You're strange," he told her bluntly. Aries blink and starred for a moment before both of them laughed. "I'm sorry; I only meant that you do not act the same as any Centaur I know."

"Perhaps that is due to me not _being_ a Centaur," she shrugged, leaning against a tree. Ironhoof nodded, agreeing with her answer. "Please, if you are here to ask me my views on Prince Caspian, I have already told three different people, three separate times."

"Don't worry," he smiled, "my father allowed me to be here; he accepts your view, whatever it is."

"That's good," she nodded. "I'd rather keep friends with you and your family, rather than make foes of you all."

"I agree," he grinned, "only about you. Do you think the Kings and Queens of Old will come?"

"Now that's something someone hasn't asked me," She sighed in relief, glad for a fresh question rather than the stale 'what do you think of the Prince', "and I would have to say that I think they will."

"Why?" he frowned. "They have been gone for centuries. Why would they come now?"

"Because they have been called," Aries replied simply. "I'm sorry, Ironhoof, but I'm tired," she yawned. "Perhaps we could talk again tomorrow."

"Of course," he allowed as they both walked towards the fire. Ironhoof waved as he trotted towards his family and Aries smiled, finding a spot close to where Nikabrik had plopped himself.

"Goodnight, friend," she called to him.

"G'night," he responded gruffly.

Aries, content that such a simple blaze would burn through her sleep, curled up closer to the fire and sighed. While – for fear of falling into a deep slumber – she wouldn't climb into it, as she would have many years ago when in need of rest, she was always more contented when she was close to a fire, and warm. It reminded her of happier times, when she would dance in the desert with her family – her two older brothers and her father – as well as her brethren.

Prince Caspian sat himself near her, watching her breathing even out in her sleep as her fire warmed him. "She's quite a character, is she not?" spoke Trufflehunter as he sat beside the Prince, his fur becoming less cold by the second.

"I cannot say 'no' to that," Caspian smiled, looking away from her and towards the Badger. "She really came through for me tonight, did she not?"

"That she did," Trufflehunter nodded.

"Though, at first, I was worried," he admitted. "It wasn't shocking when she didn't speak for me, but I was still a little concerned. She was, after all, the one who had spoken about me to the Centaurs."

"Yet she was with you at the end," the Badger reminded him. "You won her over, and that isn't easy to do. It took me three months, and though she warmed to Trumpkin and Nikabrik soon after, she wouldn't follow either of them into battle, even now."

"What do you mean?" the Telmarine questioned, frowning.

"Aries isn't the type of Narnian, or person at all, really, to trust someone right from the start," Trufflehunter smiled, knowing the girl well.

"No?" Caspian said, blinking.

"Not at all," Trufflehunter continued, "but she seems to have taken something of a shine to you, somehow. Doubt is in her nature, as a Nymph who has been without contact from her kind in eleven years, and I can tell that she views _you_ as the one who could reunite her with her family."

"Why does she seem to have so much faith in me if you say that she doesn't trust me?" he wondered, looking again at Aries. She looked so small, yet he knew she couldn't be more than a year younger than him. Trufflehunter laughed merrily, patting Caspian's arm.

"I never said she didn't trust _you_, Your Majesty," he mused. "I merely said that she doesn't trust from the start."

"But now?" he asked.

"You're her only hope; everyone's only hope," the Badger told him before getting up to sit with Nikabrik and Reepicheep. Caspian's gaze on Aries softened as she turned in her sleep and he looked at the fire she had made – it was now larger, and many Narnians sat around it peacefully. For that brief moment, he could almost forget the war stirring; forget that he was the only Telmarine among them.

As Caspian's eyes drooped and sleep overtook him, he realised that he was not content with mere forgetting.


	4. In Which There Is A Robbery

Chapter Four

Aries had spent most of her day with Ironhoof, Suncloud and Rainstone, exploring _Aslan's How_ and talking about whatever came to mind. It was unusual, Aries thought, for her to be around creatures of her own age. They were much larger than her – they were, after all, far taller than Caspian. When they stood together, she only reached Rainstone's wrists, and he was the smallest.

"Does fire burn you?" Suncloud asked, starting their new topic of conversation happily. Aries looked at him for a moment and hummed.

"I don't think so," she replied. "My own fire doesn't burn me, at least."

"What about the heat?" getting into the conversation, Ironhoof piped up, "You have to feel _hot_ when you use your fire."

"No more-so that usual," she shrugged. "Trufflehunter always told me I have a higher body-heat than most, though," she considered after a moment. In an instant, all three boys had reached out to touch her shoulders, just to test that theory.

"Well, I'd say he's right," Rainstone nodded. "You're skin is a lot hotter than mine."

"Mine, too," Suncloud agreed, as did Ironhoof.

"Excuse me, but I am going to have to borrow Aries for a moment," Prince Caspian said as he approached the chattering quartet. The boys looked a little upset, but nodded and Caspian gently pulled her away. "They seem to like you."

"I like them, too," Aries smiled. "What did you want, Sire?"

"For you to stop calling me 'Sire'," he responded jokingly. Aries rolled her eyes once and crossed her arms.

"Very well, _Highness_," she corrected.

"Have you fed Destrier yet today?" he asked her when they stopped walking, just outside the _How_.

"Destrier?" she frowned, tilting her head as she looked up at Caspian.

"My – _Your_ horse," he told her. "His name is Destrier."

"Oh, I see," she hummed, smiling. "Yes, I have fed him. He is over there, actually, eating as we speak." Aries laughed when Caspian turned around, seeing the horse eating not too far behind him, in plain sight.

"Alright, you caught me," he sighed. "That wasn't want I wanted to ask."

"Well?" she prompted.

"We need weapons," he told her, all joking aside.

"Yes, and?" she said.

"I know how to get them, but I will need all the help I can get," Caspian said, pulling her inside the _How_. "Glenstorm, Tyrus and I are going into a Telmarine camp close to here, where they are building a bridge, and we shall steal their weapons while they sleep."

"What will you have me do?" she asked.

"I know you will probably not like this, but you must lead the way," he told them, looking at her hands. Aries sighed.

"I have been lowered to a mere light," she muttered.

"Well, we also need some fighters standing by in case the Telmarines find us and fight," he said quickly. "If that happens, I will need you."

"I know why I can't go into the camp with you, Your Highness," she laughed, shaking her head. "Trufflehunter told you, didn't he?"

"About your lack of strength?" smiled Caspian, "Yes, he did."

"Well," she huffed, "did he also mention that –"

"You more than make up for it in your agility and speed," the Prince rehearsed, his smile getting wider when Aries' face reddened.

"Then I suppose you know that the only thing that makes me useless for this mission is that I wouldn't be able to carry any of the weapons," she said meekly, feeling like she was of no use. Caspian sensed this and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"If you were completely useless, I would not have asked you to come," he reminded her. "I also need you to sneak into the camp first and tell us when they are sleeping; Nikabrik mentioned how quiet you are, and so I hope you are willing to do this."

"Of course," she grinned, happy to be more useful that a flame so they could see in the dark, "Easy as climbing a tree."

"Some people may take offense at that," he said, gesturing to the Centaurs – of course, their anatomy would make it rather hard to climb _anything_ vertically, but no one would dare mock them for it. Should they need to get to the top of a tree, they could easily kick it down, after all.

"I suppose," she nodded. "When are we leaving?"

"A few hours," Caspian answered, looking at the sky. "I want it to be dark, so meet us here when the sun sets."

"Alright," she agreed. Caspian looked like he wanted to say something else, but Aries had already turned to go back to Glenstorm's three sons. He sighed as he watched her run towards them, the four looking happy just to be in each other's company – it amazed him just how many friendships of circumstance were being formed, since Aries and the Centaurs would have never met were it not for the impending war.

"Stop what you're thinking," a gruff voice said from below Caspian. He looked down and saw Nikabrik, a scowl covering his face – the Prince was about to jump away, but there was no sword in the Black Dwarf's hand, so he calmed.

"Pray, what was I thinking?" he asked, sure that the Dwarf had no idea. Nikabrik glanced at him, and then turned to look at Aires; she was being chased by Suncloud and Ironhoof for a comment she had made, though they all seemed to be having fun – Rainstone was watching, laughing at his brothers as they captured the Nymph.

"You were thinking about Aries," he said, "and how you want to know her more, more than you want to know any other Narnian."

"That is not so," Caspian replied; he hadn't been thinking that at all, but now that Nikabrik had mention it, it seemed slightly true. While he didn't want to _know_ her more than any other Narnian, he found her company more pleasant and could honestly say that he wanted her _around_ slightly more than he wanted the presence of the others, Nikabrik in particular.

"Oh, it's not, is it?" the Dwarf growled. "I'm going on this little 'borrowing'-trip tonight, whether you want me there or not. It was a stupid idea to ask Aries to go; someone needs to be there to look out for her."

"I can protect her just fine," insisted the human. Nikabrik looked him in the eye and glared.

"I have been protecting her perfectly for the past eleven years, boy," he said slowly, making sure Caspian was listening carefully. "I know _how_ to protect her, as well. You can't treat her like some Telmarine damsel, Prince; she is a Fire Nymph and, more than that, a proud Narnian. If you treat her like glass, she's likely to break _you_."

"Then how do you protect someone who is not in need of protection?" the human questioned, genuinely curious.

"By watching from afar, and letting her grazes heal by themselves," Nikabrik admitted sadly, as though it were a truth he wished to be false. The Dwarf had watched her grow up, getting hurting when she climbed too high in a tree and the only way down was to fall; he could do nothing, for Trufflehunter had told both him and Trumpkin that Fire Nymphs were raised with minimal care. It was the Fire Nymph way to watch their young grow up, seeing that they knew how to care for themselves from a very young age.

Dwarfs, whether Black or Red, had a natural instinct to reach out for their infants and hold them close, whether they had a broken arm or a splinter in their finger – they were raised with never-ending attention, and they grew to return this attention with fierce loyalty to their family and people. For Trumpkin and Nikabrik, it was hard to watch her be forced to pick herself up after a fall and not even offer to bandage her bleeding palm. Trufflehunter had warned them to let her grow as a Nymph, not a Dwarf, so that she would _be_ a Nymph when her family woke up.

"You may come tonight," Caspian agreed. His hope of making peace with Nikabrik was shattered with the Dwarf turned to glower at him again.

"As if I needed your _permission_," snarled the Narnian, turning and walking away from the Prince. Caspian sighed.

"There is just no peace with him," he realised, shaking his head.

"No, there's not," Trufflehunter agreed, stepping up to Caspian with a knowing look on his face, Reepicheep at his side.

"You will forgive our fierce friend," the Mouse said, "for all he wants is to watch over Aries the only way he can – the only way _any_ of us can. Though, of course, that is not his _only_ reason for disliking you, me liege."

"_Dislike_ may be a word too soft for the feelings Nikabrik has concerning all Telmarines, you included, Sire," the Badger acknowledged. "We all feel _some_ resentment of the Telmarines, of course."

"But you all can overlook it to see me for who I am," Caspian responded, "and not just a Telmarine."

"You are a Narnian now, my Prince," Reepicheep slipped in happily. "We would give our lives only for one of our own."

"Thank you, noble Mouse," Caspian nodded. "I need to prepare for the raid later tonight," he then said, turning to walk into the _How_ after bidding farewell to the Badger and the Mouse.

Aries watched Prince Caspian walk into the _How_ and sighed, shaking her head slowly. He had been speaking with Nikabrik, which was never a good sign. Of course, she had no idea what they had been discussing – Ironhoof, Suncloud and Rainstone had kept her mind occupied with running and laughing – but she knew, as every else did, of Nikabrik's hatred for the son of the Telmarine's old King.

"Lady Aries!" called someone, and the Fire Nymph turned. She looked around, seeing no one, until the voice spoke again. "Down here!" it squeaked, and Aries looked down. She smiled, seeing a small Squirrel on the ground.

"Hello, Pattertwig," she recalled, having learn his name on their journey to the _How_, "and please, no not call me 'Lady', for I am of equal standing to you."

"Of course, of course!" he chattered. "I have some here to give you a message – a short one, but it was given to me, for I am the fastest Messenger Squirrel in all of Narnian!"

"What is the message?" Ironhoof asked, quickly before Pattertwig could delve deeper into his amazing ability to talk for hours without drawing breath.

"Ah, yes, the message," he nodded several times, standing straight. "Ahem; Aries, stop fraternizing with the enemy!"

"Enemy?" gasped Rainstone, looking from the Squirrel to Aries. "We are not her enemy!" he insisted.

"He did not mean you, Rainstone," Aries sighed. "I know who the message was from, and also who is concerns. I was speaking with the Prince, and Nikabrik is my friend."

"I see," Suncloud realised with a smile. "Your small friend does not like you making friends with His Majesty the Prince, then?"

"Not at all," laughed the Fire Nymph. She then sighed and, smiling to the Squirrel and Centaurs, turned. "I am going with them later tonight to procure some weapons. I should probably rest until then."

"That's a good idea," Suncloud nodded, agreeing. His brother and he bid her farewell and Pattertwig blurted a long, jittery goodbye, as the Nymph left them and entered the _How_.

"Aries?" sounded Caspian's voice from deeper in the fortress. The Nymph turned and smiled. "What are you doing in here? You still have time before our departure."

"I know," she acknowledged, "but I wanted to get some rest beforehand, so that I would not be tired for our journey. It's quite a distance to the Telmarine camp, after all."

"Indeed it is," the Prince smiled. "We shall be stopping to camp on the Dancing Lawn on our way back; I have arranged for some of the Minotaurs and Centaurs to meet us there, amongst others, to help go through and carry the weapons back to _Aslan's How_ tomorrow morning, after we are rested."

"That sounds like a good plan," she agreed. "Excuse me, Highness, but I am quite tired."

"Of course," he bowed slightly, and Aries lowered herself into a bow as well; Caspian, not used to women bowing, hid his amused smile as she walked away from him and to the place she had secured – near to Trufflehunter and Nikabrik – to sleep.

"The Nymph is joining us?" Tyrus the Satyr questioned the Prince as he watched the retreating Fire-user. Caspian turned to him and nodded.

"She is," he replied. "Aries has agreed to not only light out path, but infiltrate the camp first to make sure all the guards are asleep."

"That young girl is going alone into a Telmarine camp?" he frowned, thinking of how small and weak Aries appeared. Caspian smiled, knowing what the Satyr was thinking, and nodded again.

"Not only is she more powerful that her appearance gives her credit for," he began, "but she is also quiet and quick on her feet. If there was any Narnian perfectly suited to sneak into the camp and not get caught, even in broad daylight, it would be her."

"You put much faith into one Nymph, Sire," Tyrus noticed, eyeing the Prince with a serious expression on his face. "Are you sure that it is her _abilities_ despite her appearance that you wish to employ, and not her appearance itself."

"I will not have you suggest that," Caspian warned, holding his sword in his hand in an instant. "Aries has agreed out of her own kindness to put her life in danger in order to make this mission easier for us, for _you_. Yet you stand there and imply that she is only coming with us for her beauty?"

"I apologise," the Satyr said wearily, shaking his head. "The implication behind my words was not meant to insult your Lady."

"_My_ Lady?" choked the Prince as he looked around sharply, holding that a certain group of people – Glenstorm's sons, Trufflehunter, Nikabrik, Reepicheep and Aries, herself – had not heard the goat-man. "She – She is _not_ –"

"It is quite alright, My Lord," Tyrus smirked, seeing Caspian's flustered appearance and knowing his words had hit a chord in the young Prince. "She is a pretty young woman, and you are a growing young man; it is only natural."

"P-Please do not mention this again," Caspian requested, turning quickly and walking out of the _How_. He heard Tyrus' laughter as he retreated, but couldn't find it in his to turn around and deny the Satyr's words.

Later that evening, when the sun fell away from the sky and the moon took its place, Prince Caspian and Glenstorm awaited the arrival of the others. Tyrus was the next to join them, receiving a disapproving looked from Glenstorm for being later – although only by moments. Aries was the one who arrived fourth, offering everyone apologetic glances, and Nikabrik was soon to follow, though he was far less diffident regarding his lateness.

"Now that we are all here, we can go," Caspian stated, looking firmly at Nikabrik – he _would_ have the Dwarf show him some respect, whether the shorter creature wanted to or not. As he passed Aries, he paused – she really was tiny – and looked down at her. "You will need to be at the front of the group with me in order to light the way."

"Yes, Prince Caspian," she nodded, smiling. Nikabrik sneered at her show of conformity and spat. Caspian handed everyone a large leather bag before he continued.

"We will use these to carry what we find. There are three sacks in each bag as well, should you need more room." He opened the bag around his shoulders as he said this. "You, Nikabrik, will bring up the rear," added Caspian. "Glenstorm and Tyrus will be in the centre. We will have no horses, for they are too loud."

"A Fire Nymph isn't noticeable at all, then?" Nikabrik sneered, hoisting the bag across his shoulders. Caspian was about to respond, but Aries got there first.

"Perhaps he's right," she said, adjusting the satchel to be more comfortable around her torso. "I mean, they're bound to see me if I free my powers," the girl added.

"It's true," Tyrus and Glenstorm agreed. Caspian was at a loss, but another thought came to him.

"We still need you to infiltrate the camp," he told her, and them. "No one else is as silent as you are."

"Reepicheep could do it," Nikabrik grunted.

"No, Aries is a wiser choice," Glenstorm spoke this time. "Reepicheep is likely to make a show of any conscious Telmarine, alerting them to our presence. Aries is not only quieter, but stealthier as well."

"We have no time to discuss this anyway," Tyrus huffed, stomping his hoof into the ground. "We are running out of time – the Telmarine camp is quite a distance away, and we still need to walk there and take their weapons before making it back to the Dancing Lawn before sunrise. How are we to do all of this is we haven't even left _Aslan's How_?"

"Yes, we must make haste," Caspian agreed. "Aries, can you make a small, dim flame that the Telmarines would not notice?"

"I can," she nodded, freeing her powers. In the darkness, the men gathered stood in pure awe of the light she produced, but their amazement ended when she dimmed her flames to a subtle glow; bright enough to light their path, but dark enough so as not to arouse suspicion.

The Telmarine and three Narnians followed the light Aries produced as Caspian led them through the forest to the winding river and from there to the outskirts of the Telmarine camp. It was a while into their journey when Nikabrik paused, hearing rustling in the foliage above. Everyone stopped and looked up, holding their breaths. The flames around Aries burned more vigorously, but she forced them not to brighten.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief when Pattertwig showed himself, telling them that the Centaurs, Minotaurs and a few others had gathered and were now setting off for the Dancing Lawn. Caspian thanked him for the news and the Squirrel was quick to leap away – he, too, would wait for them in the make-shift camp until they returned.

Once they reached the Telmarine camp, the first thing they noticed was just how quiet it was. There were no candles or lamps lit, and though a few guards stood around its borders, there was not a Telmarine in sight that was supposed to be sleeping. Caspian wanted to smile at how his plan was unfolding perfectly, but that would-be smile wiped itself from his face when Aries' flames went out, leaving them in darkness.

"Be careful," Nikabrik whispered curtly, huskily. Aries, who seemed to glow in the moonlight even without her flames, smiled.

"Aren't I always?" she whispered back ominously. Before anyone could say anything more, she had slipped away from them and into the camp. She first checked all of the tents, finding every Telmarine sleeping soundly inside them; it amused her as to how vulnerable they really were.

Next, she moved to the guards. It was easy to take out the first, distracting him by tossing a twig near the river and then hitting the base of his neck with the hilt of her small weapon – she had kept Caspian's dagger, and now she was thankful for it. Taking no time to dwell on the Telmarine she had knocked out, she moved on to the second guard, repeating the process easily. By the time she made it to the fourth and final guard, he still hadn't caught on to what was happening.

After performing a final sweep of the camp to make sure she hadn't missed anyone, Aries leapt to where she had left Caspian and the others. "All clear, it's safe," she told them.

"As safe as a Telmarine camp could ever be, at least," Nikabrik grumbled, stepping out of the forest.

"Their weapons should be stored over here," Caspian told them quietly, leading the small group to a collection of five wagons, each with a lock. Before anyone could question how they would enter the wagons, Aries placed a hand over the lock closest to her.

"That should do it," she smiled, pulling her hand away and revealing the melted lock in her palm.

"Could Reepicheep have done that?" Caspian asked the Dwarf quietly, referring to his comment back at the _How_. Nikabrik cursed the Prince under his breath as Aries made quick work of the other four locks.

Their work was so close to being complete, all five Telmarine wagons now unlocked and ready to be unloaded. Caspian was glad to find that two of the wagons were full of armour rather than weapons, and gestured for Aries and Tyrus to walk over to him. Each took a sack from their bags and he gestured to the wagons quickly. Aries and Tyrus set to work – picking out only the armour that would fit their warriors – this came mean either _very_ big or _very_ small, though a fair few Narnians would have made no use of the various metal breastplates.

While Tyrus and Aries collected armour, Nikabrik, Caspian and Glenstorm loaded as many weapons as they could into the sacks they carried, soon having to switch to another. While the group of five were making quick work of the items in the wagons the Telmarines slept, still completely unaware of the Narnians – and their own Prince – robbing them.

As Aries loaded her full sacks into the basket Glenstorm had – grudgingly – agreed to carry on his back for her, since she could have burnt everything she carried when releasing her powers, Caspian took out one of the daggers they had stolen and walked to the closest wagon. She followed him silently and, when he came again from the wagon, he jumped.

"You are sneakier than I gave you credit for," he gasped, placing a hand on his chest to feel his rapid heartbeat.

"What did you do?" she asked him, smiling at the mischievous glint in his eyes as he stepped further back, allowing her to see. Aries looked and frowned, tilting her head at the words on the wagon. "What does it say?" she questioned.

"Can you not read it?" he asked, frowning. Aries looked away.

"I can't read," she admitted easily, though inwardly she was turning red. It was humiliating for her to admit it to someone of her own age who was so obviously well education. Caspian looked at her for a moment and smiled.

"It says; 'You were right to fear the woods'. I even signed it," he told her, "and Aries?"

"Yes?" she replied, still not looking at him as they walked back to the others.

"Being unable to read or write is nothing to feel ashamed about."


	5. In Which The Kings And Queens Return

Chapter Five

Aries sat with Nikabrik and Trufflehunter as the Minotaurs loaded the 'gathered' weapons and food sacks into the boxes they had brought with them from the _How_. Everyone involved in last night's escapade was excused from the heavy lifting, by order of Prince Caspian, unless they felt up to it. Really, this was just his way of saying 'Aries, stay away from heavy lifting'.

"It's about time we got some decent weapons," Nikabrik nodded, looking mostly at the two curved blades that sat on either one of Aries' hips. She would need some training in how to use them, and Caspian had offered his services for this, but Nikabrik agreed that she needed some way to protect, herself, other than flames and one small dagger – which, may I add, was now sheathed and attached to the same belt that held her blades. She was also wearing a leather vest similar to the one Caspian wore, but in brown rather than blue, and smaller; he had given it to her, making a joke about how she would not have to steal his.

"Aries!" called Caspian as he walked passed a Minotaur, "May I speak with you?"

"Alright," she nodded, smiling to Nikabrik as she got up. Her new blades tapped her thighs as she walked, and she decided that it would take some time to get used to them. "What did you want to talk with me about?"

"What you told me yesterday, about not being able to read," he began, waiting for her affirming nod before continuing. "Is it true?"

"Yes," she replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Have you ever tried to learn?" he enquired. Once again, Aries nodded.

"Trufflehunter once sat me down in an attempt to teach me to both read _and_ write," Aries told him, "but I don't have the patience to learn," she shrugged.

"So, if I offered to teach you...?" he prompted, trailing off. Aries laughed.

"I would probably lose interest quickly and no longer enjoy your company quite so much," she told him truthfully. Caspian smiled and tilted his head.

"You enjoy my company?" he mused, watching as Aries turned a pretty shade of pink.

"Well, I suppose," she said stiffly as Caspian tried not to laugh – he was teasing her, something he hadn't been able to do to anyone previously. All of the servants were too much older than he was, and ever teasing his aunt and uncle – even in jest – was out of the question. "That book you brought," she said, getting his attention, "the one about the dragon and the warrior, remember?"

"Yes? What about it?" Caspian enquired, smiling down at the very small humanoid.

"Could you," she paused, as if thinking it was a bad idea to ask a favour of him, before she continued. "Do you think you could read it to me?"

"My book about the dragon?" he asked, as though to confirm her question.

"Yes," Aries nodded.

"Well, of course," he agreed. "Though I am not sure if you would find it interesting, I would be honoured to read to you, my Lady."

"Please, don't call me that," Aries said, grimacing as though she were pained by the title. "I'm not a 'Lady', just a Nymph. I get so tired of people treating me like nobility. If the rest of my people were here, I would be like everyone else. Their slumber should have no effect on what _I_ am."

"You are right, of course," he nodded. "However, you do not call me 'Caspian' as I call you 'Aries'. Is that fair?"

"You're a Prince," she laughed, shaking her head. "I cannot address you so informally, it would be rude, Highness."

"What if I asked nicely?" he grinned. Aries laughed again and Caspian smiled at her, enjoying how easy it was to make her happy. She seemed so care-free, a rarity now, and he would be sure to take full advantage of the joy it brought him to hear her laughter or see her smile.

"I'm afraid that it is far too improper," she denied once more. Caspian sighed dramatically and shrugged, still smiling at the cheerful Nymph.

"What makes you so bright, even this early in the morning?" he asked her after a moment, leaning down a little. Aries tried to ignore this, as it only furthered her knowledge of how she was only as tall at the middle of his upper arm, not even reaching his shoulders.

"Fire?" she suggested, allowing a ripple of flames to travel from her head to her feet. Caspian watched in awe, his eyes following the fire as it moved down her.

"That is incredible," he murmured, standing to his full height. "Has anyone ever told you just how amazing you are?"

"You mean my abilities?" she hummed. Caspian – who did _not_ mean her abilities – shrugged. "Trufflehunter did once, though it was more a comment about how I was _amazingly frightening_ when I appear to be burning first thing in the morning," she smiled. Caspian chuckled, imagining Trufflehunter shocked and worried at the same time.

"You are close to him, yes?" he asked, more to make conversation that out of a want to know. Aries smiled.

"Yes, and Nikabrik as well," she told him. "Trumpkin, too, but I imagine that you only remember him trying to kill you."

"I have known Nikabrik for days," Caspian began, "yet that is my fondest memory of him, also." His words made Aries laugh again, but all joy fell from their faces when they heard the sounds of rustling coming from the nearby bushes. They were quiet as they concealed themselves, trying to find the source of the noise.

"A little girl?" whispered Aries, confused. It was only when an older boy – human, but looking nothing like a Telmarine – stepped away from the bush that they acted. He held a sword and was advancing on an elderly Minotaur named Asterius, who was patrolling the camp borders. "Majesty," she added, looking at Caspian. He nodded and, when the boy took another dangerous step, the Prince leapt out.

"Rah!" he cried, lunging towards the stranger as he parried. They traded blows, each one a killing hit – Aries stepped out into the open when the stranger hit Caspian across the face, but the Prince was quick to recover. That is, until his sword was knocked away from him. Once again, Aries moved to help, but Caspian had it well in hand.

He waited, dodging blows, until the stranger managed to get his sword stuck in the trunk of a close by tree. Using this chance, Caspian kicked him away and began trying to dislodge the tree. At this point, the stranger picked up a rock and made to hit Caspian with it, and this time Aries released her powers and gathered flames in her fist.

"No, stop!" a girl, the one who came with the boy, cried. Everyone turned to her and it was then that her companion noticed he was surrounded by Narnians; all loyal to Caspian, and all ready to kill him if he proved to be an enemy. Caspian pulled the sword from the tree as the boy dropped his rock, turning and looking at all the gathered creatures.

"Prince Caspian?" he asked after turning in a full circle, his face filled with confusion.

"Yes?" Caspian, also slightly confused but mostly alert, replied, "And who are you?" he asked, leaving no chance for the stranger to speak, unless it was his identity.

"Peter!" someone called as two more humans – an older girl and a younger boy – rushed towards their companions. Aries observed them warily, but her attention soon fell on their guide.

"Trumpkin!" she cried, running towards him with her powers fading. She brushed passed the younger boy, who seemed stunned, and hugged her friend closely. "I thought you were dead!"

"I almost was," he replied, never one to sugar-coat, or hold back on telling the truth.

"High King Peter," Caspian realised after looking at the four humans, then down at the sword in his hand.

"Impossible," Aries breathed, standing and looking at the boy who Caspian had fought.

"I believe you called," the High King of Old said in a conceded tone. Aries, despite him being her superior, looked sourly at him.

"Well, yes, but," he paused, looking at High King Peter and his sibling, "I thought you would be older," Caspian admitted, causing Aries to laugh. Trumpkin nudged her and she fell silent, despite Caspian's small smile.

"Well, if you like," Peter said, looking at his brother and sisters, "we can come back in a few years."

"No!" said Caspian quickly, not wanting to drive away their only hope at winning against the Telmarines, "No, it's alright," he added, making himself appear less desperate. "You're just...You're not exactly what I expected," he added, observing them all. Caspian's eyes fell on Aries and he tilted his head, beckoning her to him. She smiled, walking to his side and looking up at High King Peter.

"Neither are you," Peter's brother – who they assumed to be King Edmund the Just – noticed, looking mainly at Asterius. The Minotaur growled at the disturbed look on the younger King's face, but Trufflehunter was quick to make peace between them.

"A common enemy," he began, stepping into view, "unites even the oldest of foes." After he said this, Trumpkin nodded at him and Reepicheep scurried forwards.

"We have anxiously awaited your return, me Liege," the Mouse said, bowing.

"Some of us," Aries muttered, but she lowered her gaze when Caspian looked at her curiously.

"Our hearts and swords are at your service," Reepicheep continued, bowing again, causing Peter to smile at the show of loyalty.

"Oh my, gosh," the youngest – Queen Lucy – cooed quietly to Susan, speaking, of course, of Reepicheep, "he is so cute."

"Who said that?" the Mouse demanded, unsheathing his sword and pointing it to where he heard the comment from.

"I'm sorry," Queen Lucy muttered, shocked at his display.

"Oh, err, your Majesty," he acknowledged, not sure how to proceed when it was one of the Queens of Old, "with the greatest respect," he paused to bow, "I do believe 'courageous', 'courteous', or 'chivalrous' might more befit a Knight of Narnia."

"How about 'talkative', Reepicheep?" laughed Aries. "I do believe you have been with the Squirrels too long."

"You insult me, Nymph!" he cried, pointing his sword at her. She raised her hands in surrender and he sighed, putting his weapon away again.

"Well, at least we know _some_ of you can handle a blade," commented High King Peter, the jab at Caspian none-too-subtle. Caspian swallowed, trying not to comment, and his grip on Peter's sword tightened.

"Yes, indeed," Reepicheep nodded, "and I have recently put it to good use, procuring weapons for _your_ army, sir." Although this was not strictly true, Reepicheep _had_ been patrolling the camp, awaiting their return.

"Good," High King Peter nodded, "because we are going to need every single sword we can get," he added, turning and looking at the Prince, who just stared back at him darkly. Aries rolled her eyes – they obviously wouldn't get along.

"Well then," Caspian said, his voice strained as though he wanted to say something a little more insulting, "you will _probably_ be wanting _yours_ back," he said, holding out High King Peter's blade. Aries hid a laugh, disguising it at a cough behind her hand, as Peter snatched the sword away and sheathed it, rolling his eyes at the taller monarch.

They walked away from the camp, most of it having been packed up already, with Prince Caspian and High King Peter in the lead. Caspian had given Aries a look as though he were plead with her, not to leave him alone with the eldest King of Old, and she had smiled. She was now walking just behind Prince Caspian, King Edmund the Just and Queen Susan the Gentle, while High King Peter followed Glenstorm to the _How_. Queen Lucy the Valiant was behind them, walking with Reepicheep, Trufflehunter, Nikabrik and Trumpkin.

"Does he ever shut up?" she whispered, to herself, quietly enough so that no one heard for. Ever since they began walking, High King Peter had been telling Prince Caspian what needed to be done to make the army they had gathered ready for battle. It was wearing on her nerves, his incessant chatter, but she dared not speak against the High King, not matter how much of a Squirrel he was.

They arrived at _Aslan's How_ quickly, the Narnians already there gathering around the entrance. Centaurs lined up on either side of the walk into the _How_ and unsheathed their blades, holding them in front of their chests; they made and arch for the Kings and Queens to walk under, showing their respect and loyalty in one gesture.

Prince Caspian hung back as High King Peter, Queen Susan, King Edmund and Queen Lucy stepped under the arch – they seemed used to treatment like this, which was unsurprising, while deep down Caspian still felt like a Telmarine amongst Narnians. Seeing them with their rightful rulers only made him feel more ousted, Aries noticed.

"Come," she beckoned, taking his arm gently. "_You_ are the Prince that will one day rule us; _they_ are the Kings and Queens that ruled us once. You have as much right to lead us as they do," Aries promised him, a smile stretched across her face. Caspian smiled weakly and nodded, walking with Aries into the _How_.

Once inside, they saw some Minotaurs and other creatures already making adjustments to the weapons and armour they had taken. Queen Susan seemed mildly repulsed by the overwhelming smell of sweat and coal, but Aries looked away from her – how could she rule a country if she couldn't stand the smell of hard work? On the other hand, Queen Lucy was looking around in awe and joy, seemingly happy just to be amongst the Narnians – this was a Queen, Aries would follow.

"It may not be what you are used to," Caspian told them as they stopped, the Kings and Aries remaining as the others got to work or looked around, "but it is defensible."

"Peter," Queen Susan called from the steps, "you may want to see this," she added once she had her brother's attention. Caspian, noticing their interest in the pictures on the wall, handed Peter a flaming torch so he could get a better look as they all walked there. Aries and the Prince followed them as they went along the paintings, going further from the central room.

"Incredible," King Edmund acknowledged, looking carefully at all of the paintings.

"It's us," the Gentle Queen realised, looking to Aries and Prince Caspian for an explanation.

"What is this place?" Queen Lucy asked them.

"You don't know?" he asked, amazed at their lack of knowledge. He took another flaming torch from the wall and moved in front of them; the Kings and Queens followed, Aries going to tag along after them.

"Wouldn't it be best if you went to work with the others?" High King Peter asked her, looking down on the Nymph in more ways than one. Feeling highly offended at his blatant dismissal of her, Aries turned on her heal and walked away.

"She is my friend," Caspian said when she had gone. "You have no right to speak to her like that."

"It _was_ kind of rude, Pete," King Edmund agreed. "I mean, what did she ever do to you?"

"He'll apologise later," Queen Susan assured Caspian.

"I will?" he asked, appalled by Susan giving him orders.

"You _will_," she insisted, leaving High King Peter no room to argue. "Now, tell us about this place."

Aries fumed as she marched away from the High King. He had covered it up, but if you find the point behind his words, he had told her to 'go away', as though she were a mere peasant below his shoe and not a fighter for Narnia. The nerve of this King of Old, to turn up after 1300 years, and then expect everyone to kowtow and obey his smallest whim!

She paused and looked back sadly.

Prince Caspian had not stopped her from leaving, but she knew that he couldn't go against the High King, either. That was just the way it was; the High King was in control, with King Edmund, Queen Susan and Queen Lucy just below him, then Prince Caspian and the leaders of the Narnian army – Glenstorm, Reepicheep, Tyrus and Asterius. Then there were the advisors – Trufflehunter and Trumpkin.

Aries was after that, as a Narnian Warrior, and therefore at the second-to-last post in the hierarchy. The bottom of their metaphorical 'food-chain' was those who would not, or could not, fight – Lightening Bolt, the child Centaur, and the Moles to name a few. She sighed, shaking her head of the thoughts, and moved to the central room where they were still modifying the weaponry and armour.

"Is there anyone in need of a hot flame?" she offered loudly. Some looked up and went back to work instantly, but there were a few who requested her aid – smelting and reshaping metal took a hot flame, and there was no fire hotter than that of a Fire Nymph.

Setting her powers free, Aries placed her hands together – palms touching – before pulling them as far apart as she could reach, a large line of blistering inferno between her appendages. Smiling as her abilities were put to use, Aries increased the heat of the flames. Some people backed off for a moment, the fires now so hot that the heat was uncomfortable, but it was extremely useful when melting parts of the armour quickly.

Feeling that she could do more, Aries released her hold on the fire – it dissolved, causing the Minotaur using it to glare at her – and focused on the fires, used for smelting, around the room. Slowly, all of the fires got hotter and hotter; eventually reaching a temperature almost equal to the one Aries had held. All of the creatures looked at her gratefully, for she had decreased the time it took to melt the metal.

Later on that day, long after lunch, everyone was called to gather in the room at the heart of the complex, the one in which Aslan's Stone Table lay broken. Aries arrived quickly, the flames in the central room cooling with her departure, and she stood by the door. The girl didn't want to stay in the presence of stuck-up High King Peter any longer than needed, even if that meant staying away from Prince Caspian as well.

"It's only a matter of time," High King Peter began. "Miraz's men and war machines are on their way." He paused, looking around to see if he had everyone's attention. His eyes stopped on Aries, but he soon looked away from her and spoke, "That means those same men aren't protecting his castle."

"What do you propose we do, Your Majesty?" asked Reepicheep proudly, being the first to comment on High King Peter's words.

Both High King Peter and Prince Caspian started at the same time, but Caspian very quickly silenced himself when the High King shot him a warning look. Aries frowned at the highest authority in the room; Caspian was their leader first, and now he sees fit to waltz in and take over. It was probably hard for Caspian; being in charge one moment and not the next. She didn't like it any more than he did, for she found Prince Caspian more pleasant to be around and easier to take to than any of this Kings and Queens of Old.

"Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us," said High King Peter.

"But, that's crazy," Prince Caspian cut in, not willing to hold his tongue when it meant the Narnians were in danger, "no one has ever taken that castle," he protested, already finding flaws in High King Peter's plan without even hearing it fully.

"There's always a first time," the High King taunted, arrogantly. Aries' dislike for him was growing by the second, she found, and he wasn't helping, himself, get into the Narnians' good graces. If it weren't for his title, Aries wouldn't be surprised if he would have already been handed over to the Telmarines.

"We'll have the element of surprise," Trumpkin said, knowing that the Telmarines would think their castle too well protected to think the Narnians would attack it.

"But we have the advantage here!" said Caspian, many people nodding in agreement – Aries amongst them. No one, of course, would dare stand up against High King Peter, though.

"If we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely," Susan said, moving close to Caspian. Aries liked this Gentle Queen better already – she could see sense, unlike the High King, who looked betrayed by his sister taking Prince Caspian's side.

"I, for one, feel safer underground," Trufflehunter said.

"Look. I appreciate what you've done here," the High King said slowly, as if Prince Caspian were a stupid, insolent child, "but this isn't a fortress. It's a tomb," he added. Aries looked around and, though she hated to admit it, he was probably right.

"Yes, and," King Edmund spoke, "if they're smart, the Telmarines will just wait and starve us out." Aries sighed and looked at the ground. He was also correct in his assumptions; though she had less trouble admitting this, as the Just King had done her no personal foul. This, however, did not make the High King's plan any less dangerous.

"We could collect nuts!" Pattertwig called out, hoping to be helpful.

"Yes!" Reepicheep began sarcastically, "And we can throw them at the Telmarines! That'll teach them!" he added, giving the Squirrel a hard look, "Shut up!" he scolded before turning to the High King. "I think you know where I stand, Sire," he concluded.

Now having the confirmed support of at least one fighter, the High King turned to Glenstorm. "If I get your troops in, can you handle the guards?" High King Peter asked. Glenstorm looked between him and Prince Caspian before coming to his decision.

"Or die trying, my Liege," he promised, bowing his head.

"That's what I'm worried about," Queen Lucy confessed quietly, though still loud enough for everyone to hear. All eyes turned to her and she shrank back, before the 'Queen' side of her came forwards and she straightened her posture.

"Sorry?" her oldest brother asked, as if believing she would utter and apology and allow him to continue.

"Well, you are acting, all of you, like there are only two options. Dying here or dying there," Queen Lucy said, not willing to back down. Aries smiled; this child truly was the Valiant Queen.

"I'm not sure you two have really been listening, Lu," the High King sighed, dismissing her opinion as he had dismissed Aries earlier. Queen Lucy, however, would not back down.

"No, you're not listening," she insisted, shaking her head, "or have you forgotten who really _defeated_ the White Witch, Peter?"

High King Peter stiffened, his eyes remaining wide and glued to Queen Lucy; he was offended, this was clear. Aries watched him, wondering if he would react violently, but he merely said, "I think we've waited for Aslan long enough," in a calm tone that contradicted the look on his face. He turned to walk out, but Queen Susan called to him.

"Peter, wait!" she yelled, "See reason, please."

"Reason?" he scoffed, stopping by the door – right next to Aries. "The only 'reason' here is that I am right, and you know it." He made to leave, but stopped when he saw Aries. She stiffened when his eyes narrowed. "Come with me," he ordered, as though he had not just been verbally beaten by his youngest sister.

"Yes, Highness," conformed Aries, for she could do nothing else. It wasn't as if mule-like stubbornness would get her anywhere with the High King; in fact, it would only make the others view her as a child.

"The way I spoke to the earlier," he began when they were away from the others, out of ear-shot, "I was told to apologise."

"...Well?" Aries prompted when he said nothing more. High King Peter frowned, and rolled his eyes.

"I have to make Susan believe I did," he told her, "but that doesn't mean I actually have to. You will not say a word to her." With this, he turned and stormed away. Aries gritted her teeth, flames taking over her body as she mentally screamed.

"Well," a voice behind her coughed. Quickly putting out her fires, Aries turned; her eyes widened, seeing King Edmund the Just with a small smile on his face.

"King Edmund," she stuttered, trying to excuse her actions. "I was just –"

"Don't bother," he shrugged, cutting her off. "If I was you and Pete spoke to me that way, I would have launched a fireball at his head and been done with it."

"I would never!" she denied, but the look King Edmund gave her made her look away. "Well, I _could_ never. That is to say, doing so in my mind will have to do for now."

"For now?" he mused, tilting his head in question. Aries smiled.

"Until I can make it appear as an accident," she told him, making him laugh.

"Oh, I see," he nodded. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone your plan; before, or after."

"Thank you, my Liege," she bowed, her blades hitting her legs again.

"Are you any good with those weapons of yours?" the King asked suddenly, causing Aries to look up,

"Sire?" she questioned, confused.

"Your blades," the Just King elaborated while pointing to her weapons. "I only asked, because many here still need training to use their swords and such."

"Well, I am afraid I am among those who need to be trained," she blushed, looking away. "I have only ever fought with fire."

"Ah, yes," he nodded. "The only person I know who can play with fire and _not_ get burnt." Aries laughed at his subtle joke. "Perhaps I could help you train?"

"I would be honoured," she bowed again, rising to see King Edmund's smiling face. She frowned and questioned, "Sire?"

"Nothing, I just..." He stopped, shaking his head, "What's your name? I assume you already know me, but I am King Edmund."

"I am Aries," she smiled.

Not too far from them, Queen Lucy the Valiant and Queen Susan the Gentle were cooing over their brother finally becoming interested in girls – human or Narnian, it didn't matter to them. Queen Lucy believed he took so long because Narnia was their true home, and thus the world in which he would find his first love. Queen Susan didn't care for reasoning, for she was just too glad that her brother was proving to be a normal boy with hormones, after all.

Beside the Queens, Prince Caspian watched the exchange with fire in his eyes, the heat almost equal to that of Aries' flame.


	6. In Which Fire Meets Ice

Chapter Six

Aries was waiting impatiently for Prince Caspian, King Edmund and the others to return to _Aslan's How_. The Telmarine Royal had asked her to remain behind, because it was a dangerous mission for those trained with their weapons, let alone the ones like her who couldn't use a blade. She had agreed, but only because there was a change of Telmarines attacking the _How_ and she had wanted to protect Queen Lucy.

They sat at the heart of the _How_, Queen Lucy leaning against the broken alter while Aries stood guard by the door. She had one of her Jambyia – her curved blades – in her hand ready to attack anyone that tried to hurt the small, young-looking Queen. Said Queen was fretting horribly about the well-being of those who had gone to battle.

"It is too dangerous," the remaining Queen cried for the fifth time since they had left. "What if one of them dies?" she asked, and Aries felt her blood run cold.

"I do not know," she replied for propriety's sake; it wouldn't do to ignore the questions of a Queen, whether they were rhetorical or not.

"What if someone is serious hurt?" she continued.

"They will be brought back for help," Aries told her, trying to calm not only the Queen, but herself as well.

"What if they're discovered too soon?" demanded Queen Lucy. "The Narnian army will still be outside the gates!"

"I am sure they will act quickly, and follow the plan."

"What if Edmund is captures? No one will be able to give the signal!"

"That couldn't happen. King Edmund is very intelligent."

"What if Prince Caspian is –?"

"Please, Majesty," called Aries, a pleading tone covering her usually strong voice as she pictured Caspian, dying in the castle that was once his home. Queen Lucy looked at her.

"Aries?" she whispered, not wanting to upset the girl. She could see clearly the worry that now played across the Nymph's face and looked away, knowing she was the cause of the girl's growing concerns.

"Please, I know the danger they are in," she sighed. "I, myself, am worried for their safety, but fretting over it will get us nowhere, and it will not keep them safe."

"I am sorry," Queen Lucy nodded, "but then what can we do?"

"Pray for Aslan to keep them well protected," she suggested, standing tall and looking at the carving on the wall behind the broken stone alter Queen Lucy was sat upon. The Valiant Queen nodded, but shivered. "Are you cold?"

"A little," the Queen admitted, but she didn't want to complain of cold when the others were risking their lives.

"Come closer," Aries beckoned, releasing her powers. The room warmed instantly and Queen Lucy sighed, smiling at the comforting heat. Then, a thought hit her.

"If you can control fire," she began, "why are you not fighting with the others?"

"You would send me to my death, Majesty?" Aries smiled. Queen Lucy looked shocked until she was that Aries was teasing her and she smiled back.

"Of course not," she replied. "You are a Narnian, my dear friend."

"Dear friend?" Aries repeated, surprised at the free use of the term. Queen Lucy nodded. "My Queen, the reason I have not gone into battle is because I cannot use a blade. Were I to charge with the others, using my control over flames, I may kill my fellow Narnians with the Telmarines."

"What do you mean?" Queen Lucy asked, not understanding.

"While it is easy to control in small amounts," Aries began, "fire is alive."

"Is it?" the Queen asked, amazed.

"Indeed," smiled Aries. "It breathes as easily as you and I, and no amount of control can hold a flame when it is truly free."

"Gosh, that is mighty brilliant," she grinned. Aries nodded sadly.

"It is," she agreed, "but also dangerous. If I attack many enemies at once, to kill them I would need one large flame – which may strike my fellow Narnians – or many smaller ones, which would then grow out of my control and kill as they see fit, indiscriminate between Telmarine and Narnian."

"I see," Queen Lucy nodded.

"Fire does not breathe easily in enclosed spaces," she sighed.

"So, you have no choice but to remain here?" the Queen acknowledged.

"Precisely," she responded.

"Neither did I," shared the Queen. "While I have once lived to be an adult, I am now a child again. I would have been useless in a battle in close-quarters, such as this. Besides, I would not fight a pointless war; Aslan will come, soon. You believe me, right?"

"Highness," Aries bowed, "if it is possible for you and your siblings to come to us due to a mere horn, anything can happen. I truly believe that, if her Highness says Aslan will come, he will come."

"Good," Queen Lucy nodded, "for it is faith like ours that will bring him back to us."

"Then I hope he returns soon," Aries said with a small, sad smile. "I pray that your strong conviction will be enough to conquer every shadow of doubt in the hearts of all Narnians."

"Thank you," Queen Lucy blushed. "How do you think they fare?"

"I believe that what the fates determine will be for the greater good," Aries replied carefully.

"What do you mean?" Queen Lucy enquired, confused by the riddling words.

"Only that this battle may be lost," she stated, "but that does not mean the Telmarines have won the war."

"Surely, if all of our soldiers die, they will have won," the Valiant Queen said sadly, but Aries just shook her head.

"That is where I must correct you, my Lady," she smiled. "Even if every last one of us falls to Telmarine hands, we have not lost. For as long as one of us keeps in our hearts the joy of freedom and the hope that Narnia will one day be returned to its rightful state, we have won."

"They can crush us," the Queen nodded, "but not our spirit."

"Exactly," Aries breathed.

The girls looked up when they heard a horn from outside and stood. A Minotaur's growl spurred them on as they ran out of the _How_, the first ones out to see the battle-worn warriors – far fewer now than there had been. Aries quickly scanned their faces – Prince Caspian, King Edmund, Queen Susan, and Nikabrik. The other Narnians – who had stayed behind – then emerged behind and beside the girls.

"What happened?" Queen Lucy asked him sadly, seeing looks of defeat and anguish on the faces of all who had returned. Aries wasn't sure she was going to like his answer.

"Ask him," High King Peter spat, his face sour as he looked toward Caspian.

"Peter," Queen Susan warned, her voice tired and her face showing exhaustion.

"Me?" Prince Caspian growled. "You could have called it off. There was still time," he continued in his defence.

"No, there wasn't time," High King Peter sighed, "thanks to you. If you would have kept to the plan, those soldiers might be alive right now," he said, stopping and turning back to face him.

"And if you just stayed here like I suggested, they _definitely_ would be!" yelled Caspian.

"You called us, remember?" Peter yelled.

"My first mistake," Caspian spat.

"Prince Caspian," Aries called soothingly when she had seen the look of upset crossing young Queen Lucy's face. She was ignored as the High King continued to speak.

"No, your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people," said High King Peter, turning and heading back inside.

"Hey!" Caspian yelled, causing High King Peter to stop and turn, "I am not the one who abandoned Narnia."

"You invaded Narnia! You have no more right to lead it than Miraz does!" Peter yelled.

"Peter, that's enough!" Queen Susan warned. Caspian, having heard enough, shoved passed him, shaking his head. Aries moved towards him, but before she could get a word in High King Peter was speaking again.

"You, him, your_ father_!" he yelled, stopping Caspian in his tracks, "Narnia's better off without the lot of you!"

Caspian let out a frustrated scream and unsheathed his sword. He turned toward Peter, whom also drew his sword and the two of them crossed blades. Aries made no move to stop them, knowing that the High King deserved everything that was coming to him. King Edmund, however, had other ideas; he was thinking sensibly, rationally, and knew that an injured High King would only weaken them further.

"Stop it!" he yelled. Aries' eyes widened when she saw Glenstorm lowering a limp Trumpkin to the ground. She gasped and rushed toward him, her powers freeing themselves and she pushed Caspian and High King Peter's swords away to get to her friend. Queen Lucy was at her heels as she knelt down to his side, tears in her eyes.

"Oh, my friend," she whispered, taking his hand. "Highness, can you...?" she trailed off and Queen Lucy nodded gravely.

"I can try," she promised, pulling her vial of healing cordial off of her belt and taking the lid off. She titled it gently over Trumpkin's mouth and let one drop fall inside. After a few seconds, he took in a sharp gasp and his eyes opened. Aries bit her lip as he looked up at them all.

"What are you all standing around for?" he asked bitterly, "The Telmarines will be here soon enough." When he had said this, Aries dove for him, wrapping her arms around him and holding tightly. "Bloody emotional Nymphs," he cursed, though he hugged her back.

"I was so worried," she whispered, releasing him. "I almost lost you again."

"But you didn't, and so the time for worry has past," he grumbled, the two of the standing at the same time as Queen Lucy. Aries nodded her thanks as the Valiant Queen returned her magical liquid to its place on her belt. "Thank you, my dear little friend," Trumpkin said to Queen Lucy when he stood.

"Prince Caspian," Aries called, turning, but all she saw was Caspian retreating into the _How_ with Nikabrik and Windmane crying. Realisation hit her, full force, and she gasped, looking back into the crowd. Glenstorm, Ironhoof and Suncloud were there, but, "...Rainstone," she cried.

"I am afraid that my brother perished as he retreated," Ironhoof told her, his voice strained with grief; he looked devastated, as did his brother and father, but Centaurs were too proud to cry – Windmane embraced her emotions as tears flooded down her face, Aries quick to join her.

"It's entirely _his_ fault," she uttered darkly, tears falling from the corners of her eyes as she glared at High King Peter. Knowing better than to selfishly push her thoughts onto a grieving family, Aries, respectfully, left the four Centaurs and brushed passed the High King.

An icy chill moved through her body and her eyes widened – something very cold had appeared under her feet, and the Flames in her heart and soul could sense the cries of the earth as it froze. She looked around, seeing the Kings and Queens of Old running into the _How_ with High King Peter in the lead. She followed them, finding the sight in the heart of the _How_ horrific.

Prince Caspian stood, his bleeding palm extended, in front of the Ice Queen Jadis; a woman she was taught to fear, and respect, as a child. She was Aries' complete opposite; she was ice, she was cold, she was once a Queen. The child of fire stepped back, not hearing High King Peter's yell of "Stop!" as he charged at the White Witch.

It wasn't until High King Peter had reached the Cold Queen that Aries snapped out of her awe-filled daze. As the High King shoved Caspian aside, leaving the Prince to sprawl across the floor, Aries allowed her legs to shift. Her feet barely touched the floor as she moved, as quickly as she could, to save the High King from a threat he had once failed to overcome alone. She was scared, that she could not deny.

"Peter, dear," smiled Jadis, her voice silky and rich, "I've missed you." Her power to mesmerize even the strongest of wills had taken over High King Peter already. "Come," she whispered. "Just one drop," she assured, referring to his blood that would free her from her prison. "You know you can't do this alone."

"Step aside, your Majesty!" called Aries, pushing High King Peter as he had done to Caspian – she knew he would not move of his own will, and so shoving him was her only option; she would enjoy it later.

"A Nymph of Flames," the Ice Queen hissed. "Useless, pitiful and weak," she sneered.

"Aries, stand down!" Caspian cried, worried for the safety of the Narnian. Aries raised her arms, allowing flame to overtake her body.

"You don't have the courage to –" The Queen was cut off when Aries released a stream of fire at the icy wall. Jadis' face twisted in pain as she shrank back further into her prison, only to gasp and cry out when a sword pierced the ice where her stomach would be.

The chamber echoed as the ice began to crack, thin splinters reaching outward until large gaps opened up. It crumbled, large chunks of ice spilling across the floor, leaving the figure of Edmund standing alone, his sword sticking still held where he had impaled the Ice Witch. Letting lose a shaky breath, Aries collapsed to the ground and shook uncontrollably; her fear hit her full-force and she cried out.

Ice had fallen on her, but her heat had melted it instantly. The area she fell was void of all cold shards, not even water left behind. As the flames on her body dispersed around her, everyone felt warmed and the remaining ice melted away quickly; but this was not comfortable warmth, like the fire on the first night at the Dancing Lawn had been.

Worried, Prince Caspian rose to comfort her, but King Edmund's hand found her first. Her skin was hot, but cooling, and his cold hand startled her. She looked up at him, tears spilling over her eyes, and he nodded. King Edmund had known this fear, this feeling in the pit of his stomach that made his entire body stiffen; it was the after-shock of being near Jadis when you were so clearly her enemy.

"It's alright," he soothed her, placing his other hand on her head, stroking her brittle hair. Aries, forgetting, for a moment, just who he was, fell into his comforting embrace and allowed herself to cry. She could vaguely hear Queen Susan leaving, her footsteps hurried and upset. It was Queen Lucy who came to her next.

"Is she alright?" she asked her brother, who was still trying to calm the Fire Nymph.

"Shaken, but she'll be better after a moment," he replied easily. Prince Caspian took a step towards her, but faltered when Trumpkin glared at him.

"Perhaps it would be best if you leave," he prompted gruffly. "_Both_ of you," the Dwarf added, this time turning to High King Peter. Though hesitant to take orders from a Dwarf, both eventually left – though it took a hard look from Queen Lucy to spur them on.

"Everything will be fine," Queen Lucy assured the Nymph, placing a hand on the back of the smaller person. "Why are you so scared? She's gone now."

"The Ice Queen," Aries began shakily, "is well known by my people. She almost wiped out the Fire Nymphs during the Hundred Year Winter when she froze over our lands. She's so cold; I could feel myself dying inside."

"You're that affected by her?" King Edmund gasped, not sure how to react to this news. He would tell Caspian – a subtle way to make the Prince feel even guiltier for almost bringing the White Witch back.

"You called her the 'Ice Queen'," Queen Lucy noticed. "All others call her the 'White Witch', so why not you?"

"To us, she is not a Witch at all," Aries said, pulling away from King Edmund and standing up. The King and Queen stood with her, King Edmund towering over her – though not quite to the extent Caspian and High King Peter did – while Queen Lucy was only a head taller.

"Then what is she?" King Edmund frowned, having never met someone who spoke almost _fondly_ of the 'evil' Jadis.

"She is someone to respect," she told them truthfully. "Not for her crimes against Narnia, for even my people reject her for that. We respect her for embracing her element and becoming one with it, while holding enough control to keep it spread across all of Narnia despite the usual seasons."

"You respect her for being powerful," King Edmund realised, "but not for the way she used her power?"

"Exactly," Aries nodded. "Though I never imagined I would face her. As two creatures who live for their element, I was overwhelmed by her strength and power – both much greater than my own." She looked at the place Jadis once was. "I am ashamed to have cowered before her, but my body reacted of its own will."

"You still stood against her," Queen Lucy smiled. "Were it not for your fire and Edmund's sword, she might be free." Her words made Aries shiver.

"You did well, Aries," King Edmund acknowledged, "Far better than any Narnian before you; and just as brave as any King or Queen."

"Thank you, Sire," she bowed, biting her lip. "I need to leave. I cannot stand to be in this room while the air is still so cold." With these words, she turned and fled as quickly as she came.

"What did she mean?" Queen Lucy enquired, confused. "This room is very warm; warmer than usual," she added. As soon as she said this, all of the warmth left the room and her and her brother shook with cold.

"Aries was the warmth," King Edmund recognized, rubbing his hands up and down his arms. "To her, this room felt as cold as it does to us, now. I suppose she just carries warmth, but to anyone who isn't naturally as hot as she is, we feel warm while she feels cold."

"It's strange to think of," Queen Lucy nodded.


	7. In Which A Challenge Is Made

Chapter Seven

The young Fire Nymph breathed in the scent of the morning dew as she lay on the damp grass outside of _Aslan's How_. She had not been able to return inside, even after dark, with the thought that Ice Queen Jadis had been present in the room that bore Aslan's likeness, and the alter on which his greatest sacrifice had been made. It made Aries sick to her stomach to think that Prince Caspian – and even High King Peter – had come so close to freeing her.

Aries knew, and knew well, the dangers that came with ice were just as severe as those that came with fire. She had lied to King Edmund and Queen Lucy when she told them that her fear came from facing Jadis; her true horror came from the realisation that she could have become the Ice Queen, though with scorching summers replacing icy winters. This thought scared her more than anything ever had.

Looking down at her palm, the girl sighed and pressed it to her cheek; her hand was cold, colder than usual, though this only made her smile. She hated the cold, as most of her people did, but having spent so much time with Trufflehunter, Trumpkin and Nikabrik she realised that cold, to her, was at the very least _warm_ to most others. It was a strange idea, in her mind, and it made her wonder how cold the air could truly be.

Pushing these thoughts aside for the time being, the Nymph stretched her arms above her head and let them rest on the moist earth. She did not want to get up and face reality just yet, but she knew she would have to. For now, Aries decided, she would lose herself in fanciful ideas like reuniting with her family and marrying.

Aries' eyes widened and she paused, sitting up suddenly. Something strange had happened in that moment. When she had thought of marriage, she had not imagined flaming strands and golden eyes – as she once did – but locks as black as night and a dark, intense gaze. She shook her head of all thoughts and stretched her arms, small sparks shooting out of her fingertips.

Suddenly, the ground shook and she looked up, alarmed. Large battalions of Telmarine soldiers – dressed in silver battle armour – marched towards the _How_ in their regiments. She gasped, hearing a voice that sounded like Prince Caspian calling to the Narnians. Aries didn't care, even as they all gathered behind her; all she saw were the soldiers, horses and war machines.

She snarled and ran forwards, freeing her powers and letting two long streams of fire free from her wrists. Panting from the control and energy it took to hold the flames above the grass, she glared. "Take not another step!" she warned, seeing some Telmarines stumble and freeze. This seemed to be far enough for them, though, as higher ranks on horses came forwards.

"Narnian!" an older voice with the same accent as Caspian's called from the golden mask of the man sitting on the white horse. "You go and tell your High King that we have come to end this. You have chosen your battlefield, and here the blood of all Narnians shall lie!"

Shocked at his words, Aries withdrew her flames and stared. She was confused for a moment before she glared and stumbled back, into the _How_. Narnians were still gathered on the field before it, but Aries knew where she would find High King Peter, no doubt telling anyone who would listen about his newest plan. The Royals, Trufflehunter, Reepicheep, a Bulgy Bears named Bultitude, and Trumpkin had gathered in the heart of the structure, as they had many times before, and Aries only caught the last of Trumpkin's sentence.

"...little girl into the darkest parts of the forest?" he scoffed. "Alone!" the Dwarf cried as though to further emphasis his point.

"It's our only chance," High King Peter said, looking around. He caught sight of Aries and stepped forwards. "I have been informed by Glenstorm that Miraz spoke with you. Tell me what he said," he demanded. Aries wanted to burn the superior look from his face, but she conceded.

"He said that we had chosen our battlefield," she paused, "as well as our death-grounds."

"That only makes my plan more urgent," he stated, casting a grateful look at Aries. "Thank you for going to the front lines and hearing him. Your message has told me that we need to act fast, and doing so may save many lives."

"You..." she frowned, unsure of what to say. Thinking no more on the gratitude, Aries merely bowed. "Anything for my fellow Narnians, Majesty," she said.

"She's still being sent in alone!" cried Trumpkin, aggravated at being ignored.

"She won't," Queen Susan assured him, stepping forwards and placing a hand on her sister's shoulder. Trumpkin looked between the Queens and Aries sadly, his face devastated at the thought of Queen Lucy having only one archer for protection, no matter how skilled Queen Susan was.

"Haven't enough of us died already?" he asked hopelessly.

"Nikabrik was my friend, too," Trufflehunter, sitting beside King Edmund, cut in softly, "but he lost hope. Queen Lucy hasn't, and neither have I," he assured them.

"For Aslan," Reepicheep said, drawing his sword.

"For Aslan," the brown bear beside him rumbled.

"Then I'm going with you," said Trumpkin in a determined tone. He stepped forwards, but Queen Lucy shook her head and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"No, we need you here," the Queen told him. Aries stepped forwards and nodded to the Queen, letting her know without speaking that Trumpkin would be safe – he was, after all, one of the Nymph's closest friends.

"We have to hold them off until Lucy and Susan gets back," High King Peter said regretfully, knowing that he would also feel safer if the brave Dwarf went with his sisters.

"If I may," started Caspian, glancing at the Professor beside him as he stood, all eyes focused on the Prince, "Miraz may be a tyrant and a murderer, but as King, he is subject to the traditions and expectations of his people. There is one in particular that may buy us some time," he said.

"Burning their camp?" suggested Aries with a small smile. Her grin was wiped from her face when Trufflehunter reached over and gave her a _thwack_ on the back of her head, which he could barely reach anymore.

"Hush," he scolded gently. Aries pouted, spotting small smirks on the faces of both Prince Caspian _and_ King Edmund at her childish display.

"Nothing to that..." Caspian trailed off, unable to think of the word to describe her suggestion, "extreme," he said finally. Aries sighed, sitting down and shrugging. "My plan is simple; High King Peter must challenge Miraz to a duel to the death."

"Are you insane?" Queen Susan asked suddenly, her eyes flashing. "Not that I don't have confidence in your skills, Peter, but Edmund is _far_ better with a sword; perhaps he's a better choice?"

"Miraz would never accept the proposal from someone who wasn't the High King," Caspian sighed, "otherwise I would agree. No offense intended, of course, Majesty," he added quickly, bowing to High King Peter.

"I don't mind," High King Peter sighed with a flourish of his hand. "I acknowledge that Ed may be a better swordsman, but sometimes a task can only be completed by a High King."

"No _High King_ in chess," Edmund muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes at his older brother's antics. Aries heard him and laughed a little, quickly covering it up as a cough when she received two confused looks – Caspian and Queen Susan – one scolding look – High King Peter – one amused look – Queen Lucy – and one satisfied look from King Edmund, who seemed to be proud that he had made _someone_ laugh.

"We must draft a letter of challenge," Prince Caspian said, letting his mind leave Aries for a moment. "It must be subtle, yet boastful."

"I can _handle_ it," High King Peter scoffed. Queen Lucy and Queen Susan looked between themselves and winced.

"Peter, perhaps _I_ could write the letter?" the Gentle Queen suggested, calling for a piece of parchment and a quill.

"Well, I suppose," High King Peter accepted. "Edmund can deliver it, as he is more of a negotiator."

"I shall accompany him with one of the Giants," Glenstorm stated, stepping forwards with a nod.

"I suggest Wimbleweather," Reepicheep spoke up. "He is a brave and noble large person, after all, and _very_ frightening."

"I wish to go, also," Aries piped, smiling.

"No," four replies came at once. Aries looked between all who had denied her, High King Peter, Prince Caspian, Trufflehunter and Trumpkin, and folded her arms.

"I have spoken once with Miraz already," she explained, "so it would only be expected for his initial go-between to be present when the challenge is issued."

"She makes a good point," King Edmund said quickly before anyone could speak against her. Of course, only one of his siblings could go against King Edmund; all of them, however, knew that the youngest King would win any and all arguments between them.

With the letter soon finished and the Giant Wimbleweather summoned, the four set off towards the Telmarine camp. King Edmund was riding Destrier, as any good King should have a steed – and the fact that he was easily riding a Telmarine horse would be a kick to the ego for all who saw him. It was Aries' idea, and Prince Caspian and King Edmund had agreed to it almost immediately.

As they walked, King Edmund kept casting glances in the Nymph's direction. At first, he did so accidentally – just the occasional look before reddening and facing away – but as time went by he began to shower her with subtle flashes of his eyes. Aries didn't noticed, and for that he was thankful, but when Glenstorm nudged his shoulder and told him to "stay focused" he decided that it was best to stop.

The Telmarines, for their part, hardly seemed surprised when the four Narnians had arrived into their Base; Wimbleweather was slightly disappointed, if the look on his face as anything to judge by, that he would not have to hold off hordes of men trying to kill his King. Instead, the soldiers went on with their work, ignoring the group as they stood awkwardly at the side of the camp, Glenstorm clutching the letter – Aries had offered, but King Edmund was worried that she would burn it.

"What have you come for?" a Telmarine General asked as he approached them, sword draw. Glenstorm drew his own sword and Wimbleweather took a threatening step towards the human while Aries frowned, lifting her arms slightly.

"Stand down," King Edmund ordered. Everyone did so. "I am here to issue a challenge from my brother, for King Miraz."

"I see," the General nodded. "Please – I am General Glozelle – follow me and I shall lead you to King Miraz at once."

"Very well," nodded the Narnian King. As promised, took him into the tent where King Miraz awaited him. King Edmund, not wasting time on formalities, accepted the scroll from Glenstorm and stepped into the gazebo-styled tent – Aries, Glenstorm and Wimbleweather remaining outside – before he began to read.

"I, Peter," he began, his tone noble and proud, "by the gift of Aslan, by election and by conquest, High King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel and Emperor of the Lone Islands, in order to prevent the abominable effusion of blood, do hereby challenge the usurper Miraz to single combat upon the field of battle. The fight shall be to the death, the reward shall be total surrender." King Edmund rolled up the long parchment, gazing blankly at the Lords of the Council without a word.

"Tell me Prince Edmund –"

"_King_," Edmund interrupted. Aries snorted, seeing the confusion on King Miraz's face, but hushed when Glenstorm cleared his throat.

"Pardon me?" asked Miraz in surprise.

"It's King actually," he explained, "just King though, Peter's the High King." Here the King paused, looking at the blank faces of King Miraz and the other Telmarines gathered. "I know," he cut in smoothly, "it is quite confusing."

King Miraz turned his head to the others with raised eyebrows, nearly laughing at King Edmund. Instead of this display of disrespect, Miraz shook his head, leaning towards the table and spoke, "Why would we take such a risk, when our armies can wipe you out before nightfall?"

Rather than offer the Telmarine King an obviously scalding reply – something that was best left to Aries – King Edmund merely glanced around as though looking for some sign that King Miraz was joking. "Haven't you already underestimated our numbers? I mean, only a week ago, Narnians were extinct."

"And so you will be again," Miraz confirmed blankly, firmly.

"Well then you should have little to fear," said King Edmund, unable to hide the amusement that seeped into his voice. He was rather glad that, throughout his previous time in Narnia, he had not reached King Miraz's age – he never wanted to be the bitter old man he saw before him.

Miraz laughed loudly, throwing his head back as he did not effort to hold back his laughter, though it seemed quite forced, as he looked around, trying to convince the other Telmarines to laugh with him. When he failed, he settled for words rather than mocking laughter. "This is not a question of bravery," he chuckled.

"So," King Edmund smirked smugly, "you're _bravely_ refusing to fight a swordsman _half _your age?"

"I didn't say I refused," King Miraz, still forcing his smile to stay in place – though it faulted – said as he bent towards the younger Royal.

"You have our support your majesty," promised one of the Lords, "whatever your decision,"

"Sire," the Lord next to him spoke up with a smile, "our military advantage alone provides the perfect excuse," he glanced at King Edmund, a devilish glint in his eyes making the Narnians rather suspicious, "to avoid –"

"I'm not avoiding anything!" hissed King Miraz, drawing his sword as if he were daring the man to continue.

"I was merely pointing out that my lord is well within his rights to refuse," the Lord corrected nervously as King Miraz continued to push the sword closer to his neck.

"His majesty would never refuse," insisted General Glozelle, his gaze shifting from the Lord to King Miraz slowly. "He relishes the chance to show the people the courage of their new king," he ended smoothly, eyeing the King. Now knowing that he could not refuse, for the sake of his pride and the loyalty of his people, King Miraz nodded.

"You," he said, pointing his sword at King Edmund, "should hope your brother's sword is sharper than his pen."

"Of course," nodded King Edmund, smiling slightly at how easily the King had been tricked into agreeing. "We should leave, to relay the message of your acceptance."

"Tell me, _King_ Edmund," King Miraz cut in before they could leave. King Edmund, having already turned to leave, looked back curiously, "if you are truly a King of Narnia," he paused and King Edmund nodded for him to continue. "Well, I just never expected the High King to use his fellow rulers as _messenger boys_."

"If this is your way of trying to irritate me," King Edmund sighed, "then you have succeeded. If, however, you are trying to turn me against my brother, well," his eyes flashed dangerously as he drew his sword, allowing the metal blade to _clang_ against King Miraz's, "you are wasting your time."

Other soldiers drew their weapons and the Narnians did the same – Aries too out her dagger and the Telmarine closest to her snorted. He stopped, however, when flames took over her form.

"You would attack me?" snorted King Miraz, "It would start a war, regardless of your little _challenge_."

"Stay your weapons," King Edmund ordered, putting his sword back into the sheath on his belt. "As I recall, Miraz; you were the first to face your weapon at me."

"We should go, Sire," Glenstorm suggested respectfully. King Edmund nodded in agreement and they all headed towards _Aslan's How_, leaving the Telmarine camp behind them.

"Well," King Edmund said after a long moment of silence, "I think that went rather well."

"They openly mocked us," growled Aries, clenching her fists. "He called you '_Prince_', Majesty!"

"It's not so bad," King Edmund shrugged. "I remember Lucy once saying that she didn't want to be Queen, because Queens are old and bitter – she always wanted to be a Princess."

"With all due respect," Aries sighed, "you are not Queen Lucy. Do _you_ enjoy people calling you by a lower rank?"

"Where I'm from, I'm not royalty at all, s'matter of fact," the Just King smiled, seeing the shock and disbelief spread across her face. Wimbleweather and Glenstorm were ahead of them now, leaving the younger two to talk.

"That is impossible," she gasped. "How can you be our King and yet a nobody where you are from. Surely, you deserve to be praised in both worlds."

"Don't let Peter catch you saying that," sighed King Edmund. "We'll never hear the end of it."

"Pardon?" she frowned, not understanding his meaning.

"Peter is," he paused, biting the inside of his cheek, "well, he's a bit too proud of himself, really. Could do with a bit of humility, I suppose."

"Oh, I see," the Nymph nodded, looking up and seeing the _How_ before them. "I believe that the best teacher for humility would be the High King himself; after his defeat, most would assume that he would step aside and allow Prince Caspian to take control."

"You believe Prince Caspian to be a better leader?" King Edmund hummed.

Rather than blurt out some form of apology for her words, Aries smiled, "I do not believe Prince Caspian has had the chance yet," she replied. King Edmund considered her words before changing the subject.

"You just reminded me," he smiled, "that I promised to teach you how to use those blades of yours."

"Oh, well," she blinked, shocked, "I wasn't quite sure if you meant what you said."

"There's no point in saying something if you don't mean it," King Edmund assured her, his smile widening. "Are you tired now?"

"No, not really," Aries replied, shaking her head.

"Then what would you say to learning now?" he asked. Aries looked up at him gleefully and nodded.

"Of course, Majesty!" she exclaimed happily, unsheathing her blades. King Edmund winced and shook his head. "Majesty?"

"We shall begin with the proper way to draw your weapons," he told her, taking her wrist and pulling the blade from her weak grip.

"How sweet!" cooed Queen Susan from the _How_ as Glenstorm relayed King Miraz's message to High King Peter. "Look, Lucy, Peter!" she called, gesturing down to where she saw King Edmund and Aries – she knew he was teaching her to fight, but she never recalled him feeling the need to stand that close to his students of the Golden Age.

"He's really got a thing for her," smiled Queen Lucy as she looked as well.

"Girls, I believe we have more important things to do than to..." High King Peter stopped in the middle of his sentence and frowned. While he, too, was glad that his brother was showing an interest in girls – at last – his eyes weren't glancing at the pair. Now, he had found someone else.

Standing not too far from King Edmund and Aries, with a dark look on his face and his fists clenched, was Prince Caspian.


	8. In Which A Duel Is Fought

Chapter Eight

There was a great stirring at Aslan's How when the news came back and was communicated to the various creatures. King Edmund, with one of King Miraz's captains, had already marked out the place for the combat, and ropes and stakes had been put round it.

Two Telmarines were to stand at two of the corners, and one in the middle of one side, as marshals of the lists for King Miraz. For the other two corners, three marshals were to be chosen by the High King. High King Peter was just explaining to Caspian that he could not be one, because his right to the throne was what they were fighting about, when suddenly a thick, sleepy voice spoke up.

"Majesty, please." Peter turned and there stood the eldest of the Bulgy Bears.

"Yes?" he asked, looking up at the large bear.

"Well, if you please, your Majesty," he said, "I'm a bear, I am."

"You certainly are, and a good bear too, I don't doubt," said High King Peter.

"Yes," said the Bear, "but it was always a right of the bears to supply one marshal of the lists."

"Don't let him," whispered Trumpkin to High King Peter. "He's a good creature, but he'll shame us all. He'll go to sleep and he will suck his paws. In front of the enemy too."

"I can't help that," said High King Peter, "because he's quite right. The Bears have always had that privilege. I can't imagine how it has been remembered all these years, when so many other things have been forgotten."

"Please, Majesty," said the Bear.

"It is your right," said the High King, "and you shall be one of the marshals. But you must remember not to suck your paws."

"Of course not," said the Bear in a very shocked voice.

"You're doing it this minute!" bellowed Trumpkin. The Bear whipped his paw out of his mouth and pretended he hadn't heard.

"Giant Wimbleweather, and the Bear, and the Centaur Glenstorm shall be our marshals," High King Peter decided. "The combat will be at two hours after noon, in the decided place."

"I suppose," said King Edmund as they walked away, "it is all right. I mean, do you believe you can beat him?"

"That's what I'm fighting him to find out," said Peter. "Oh, and Ed; a word?"

"Certainly," King Edmund agreed, waiting behind as everyone else left.

"Listen, I need you to watch out for Prince Caspian," High King Peter warned him when everyone had gone. "Either that, or stop hanging around that Fire Nymph."

"Why?" he frowned.

"Prince Caspian doesn't seem to like the time you spend with her," he replied. "I would recommend watching the Prince when you're around her."

"You're telling me to what?"

"Keep an eye on Prince Caspian," High King Peter told his brother for what felt like the hundredth time. "He's been looking, lately, like he wants to maim you, at the very least."

"Why would he do that?" King Edmund frowned, "I mean you're the obnoxious one that always has to over-rule him. Well, unless his idea suits you."

"Very funny, Ed," the High king sighed. "I think it's because you're getting closer to that Nymph girl."

"She has a name," he scowled, "and it's Aries."

"You see?" his brother cut in, "This is what I mean! Too close, Ed; too close. You are just digging yourself a hole."

"Fine, then," the Just King nodded. "I'll dig a hole," he decided, "just so long as I can continue to socialise with Aries. She's a good conversationalist and an excellent listener."

"Really?" the Magnificent High King grunted. "All _I_ get when I speak to her is one-word answers."

"That's because you never apologised to her for rudely dismissing her when you first met," King Edmund pointed out.

"She told you?"

"I was there, Pete," he laughed, "and you were awful to her. It's no wonder she's on Prince Caspian's side through all this."

"I wasn't aware there _was_ sides," the older of the two frowned.

"Not really," King Edmund corrected, "but there _are_ those who think we should step down and advise Prince Caspian rather than come back and rule."

"_He_ called _us_!" High King Peter defended, "but that's not what we're talking about!"

"I thought we _were_ talking about the Prince."

"Yes, but only to tell you to stay away from...Aires," he said, having paused due to forgetting her name. "You've been warned, Ed."

"Yes, sir," he joked, saluting his brother before marching away. When he was out of sight, he slouched and kicked his foot against the ground, a cloud of dust and dirt rising for a moment before settling again against the old floors. "How can he ask me to stay away?"

"Stay away from who?" a familiar voice piped. King Edmund looked in front of him and grinned.

"Good day, Aries," he said, bowing mockingly. Aries bowed back, though hers was more formal and respectful, and smiled.

"So, who told you to stay away from who?" she asked again, causing King Edmund to sigh.

"My brother, telling me to stay away from," he stopped, looking at her. Of course he couldn't tell Aries that the High King had demanded them to stop meeting – she would follow orders, as always.

"Highness?" she prompted, reaching out but not touching the King. The Just King snapped out of his thoughts and smiled again, though it was strained; fake.

"Oh, never mind," he said, waving his hand. "It's not like I'm going to listen to him, anyway."

"I see," she nodded, walking alongside King Edmund as they left the _How_. "The duel is today, is it not?"

"Indeed it is," King Edmund confirmed. "How about another lesson?"

"That's actually why I wanted to see you," she smiled meekly, patting the blades on her hips. King Edmund grinned and led her outside the _How_, drawing his sword.

"You need to learn to block next," he told her when she looked alarmed at the thought of fighting the Just King of Old.

Prince Caspian watched as the King of Old sent very slow jabs with his sword towards Aries – she was blocking sloppily and King Edmund kept correcting her stance and the angles of her swipes. The Prince's eyes narrowed slightly and he held the book tighter in his hands. He was hoping to keep his promise that day and read some of the story to Aries, but it seemed as though she was too occupied by the Just King.

"They seem close," a woman's voice sounded from behind him. Caspian turned and bowed upon seeing the owner of the voice – Queen Susan the Gentle. "I have seen the way you glare at my brother, Prince Caspian," she told him. "One would assume that you have feelings for the Nymph."

"Aries, Highness," he corrected, a fond smile across his face, "her name is Aries."

"Hm," Queen Susan smiled, "I seem to recall Edmund telling Peter a similar thing only an hour ago."

"Oh, did he?" muttered Prince Caspian, unable to contain his new-found dislike for the Just King. Queen Susan noticed this and looked to Aries – _lucky girl_. She unknowingly had both King Edmund and Prince Caspian pining after her.

"I hope you do not act rashly," Queen Susan warned.

"Highness?"

"My siblings and I cannot stay in Narnia indefinitely," she clarified with a sigh, crossing her hands in front of her. "Please, allow Edmund some time with her before we leave – he has taken no interest in the girls from our world and it would be unfair to take away from him the limited time he has with Aries."

"I understand your Highness' concern," Prince Caspian recognized with a nod of his head, "but I cannot just stand by and watch. _You_ must allow _me_ to at least that much."

"It is your choice," she conceded, shaking her head and walking away to find Lucy before she paused. "One thing before I go, Prince Caspian."

"Yes, Highness?" he questioned.

"I have seen the Telmarine horse outside the _How_," she told him, "the one Edmund rode to deliver the message."

"You mean Destrier?" he hummed, placing a finger to his lip and grinning. "I am afraid that he is no longer my horse."

"What do you mean?" the Gentle Queen frowned delicately, tilting her head.

"On my first day with Aires, we made a deal," he laughed. "She would return my sword, my cloak and my leather vest, if only she could keep my horse."

"I see," she smiled. "I shall ask Aires, then. Lucy and I will need a fast horse to get us through the forest."

"Indeed," he nodded, "Destrier is by far the fastest horse in all of the Telmarine army. Though, it took much convincing for Aries to part with it when your brother used the horse, and she had gone with him."

"All I can do is to try," she replied, walking away. Prince Caspian turned back to Aries instantly and his eyes widened. King Edmund was behind her, holding her wrists gently as he guided her through the motions of a proper attack. His toes were touching her heels and her head was against his chest.

"If the Queen can try," he hissed, "so can I."

"Edmund!" called Queen Susan as she hurried towards the duo, "Aries! I need to ask you something!"

"Yes, Highness?" Aires bowed, sheathing her blades and stepping away from King Edmund. Queen Susan smiled.

"Your horse, Destrier," she began, watching Aries nod, "I need to borrow him."

"For what purpose, Highness?" the Nymph questioned, gulping. She never felt safe allowing Destrier to be taken out by anyone; he was, sort of, a gift from Prince Caspian.

"Lucy and I are going to search for Aslan," she replied. Aries smiled sadly.

"For a purpose as noble as this," she sighed, "it would be wrong of me to refuse my horse. Of course you can borrow him. Prince Caspian can prepare him for travel, since I would not know how."

"I'll go and ask him," smiled Queen Susan as she walked away again.

"I think that's enough practice," King Edmund told the Nymph, sitting down on the grass. He seemed fine, while Aries herself was rather tired. Not wanting to miss the chance, she dropped herself onto the grass and hummed.

"I cannot believe that a thirteen hundred year war is being settled with one-on-one combat," she uttered sadly. "So many lives, so many homes, wasted for this."

"It does seem rather pointless, no?" agreed King Edmund, "But, when you think about it, ending the war this way is better than a blood-drenched battle."

"I suppose," Aries nodded, looking at the King. "You aren't at all what I expected you to be," she told him out of nowhere.

"Oh?" he smiled. "I seem to be getting that a lot."

"Do not take offense by it, Majesty," she said slowly as King Edmund got up and helped her off of the grass. If Queen Susan was looking for a horse, it must already be nearing the time for High King Peter's duel. "I merely meant that you look nothing like your portraits."

"Most of them were painted when I was older," he replied airily, as if there were nothing out of the ordinary about being younger that you were in the past. Aries, who knew of the circumstances by which the King and Queen of Old regained their youth, nodded uncertainly; it was a lot to take in, and she still wasn't used to the idea.

"I suppose that makes sense," she nodded as they walked inside. King Edmund went to see High King Peter while Aries moved deeper into the _How_. Prince Caspian was just helping Queen Lucy onto Destrier's back as Aries approached.

"Aries!" called Queen Lucy happily. It took all she had not to leap off of the horse and hug her Nymph friend.

"Hello, Queen Lucy," Aries smiled as she bowed to the Valiant Queen. "Queen Susan, Prince Caspian," she added, bowing to them as well.

"I was just telling them that they were in good hands," Prince Caspian smiled at her, "with _your_ horse."

"Or hooves," Queen Lucy giggled, patting the horse's side.

"Good luck," Prince Caspian muttered to them, his eyes now taken by Aries.

"Thanks," Queen Susan sighed – she could see that King Edmund would continue to have a hard time being with Aries without Caspian glaring at his back. Caspian suddenly thought of something and held out Queen Susan's horn.

"Maybe it is time you had this back," he said to her, holding it up. Queen Susan looked at it and smiled.

"You hold on to it," she told him. "Something might go wrong, and it helps to have some way of calling us back."

"Of course," he nodded, watching as the two Queens left on Destrier. "You will see that horse again," he assured Aries when he noticed how tense she was.

"Suddenly," she gulped, "I am more worried about seeing Queen Lucy again."

"Aries?" he prompted, looking at her nervous expression. She looked up at him and sighed.

"I know she had lived for more than thrice my lifetime," Aires told him, "and she is taller than me, as well, but she is still a child. I worry for her."

"As do we all," Prince Caspian agreed, hearing the roaring cheers of the Narnians above them. "I believe it is time for High King Peter's duel."

"Are you coming?" Aries asked, looking at him carefully.

"Certainly," he nodded. They walked up together in enough time to see Miraz cast King Edmund a smug look, before his eyes turned to Caspian – the sneer on his face was obvious when he saw how closely the Telmarine was standing by the Narnian Nymph. "Something is wrong," he muttered, his eyes narrowing.

Aries looked around and froze, "The Queens," she said, noticing a group of horsemen sneaking around into the forest. "We have to –!"

"I will go after them," Caspian told her. "You stay here; be safe."

"Hurry to them," she told him as Caspian ran back to the _How_ to find a horse so that he could go after the Queens and protect them should there be any danger.

"There is still time to surrender," King Miraz informed the High King, his tone conceded. Aries' eyes narrowed – she believed that King Miraz was suddenly someone she hated personally more that High King Peter; at least the arrogant King of Old wasn't trying to rid the world of her kind, after all.

"Well then feel free," High King Peter replied, looked down his nose at the older – yet younger – man.

"How many more must die for the throne?" asked King Miraz.

High King Peter pushed his helmet fully on, holding up his sword before he replied, "Just one."

The High King and the Telmarine leader fell into their stances and the Narnian ruler used a fallen pillar to his advantage, leaping off of it as their two swords clashed, the added height giving him the advantage of the first blow. Each grunted at the force of the first attack and backed off, but quickly came together again in another strike.

"Contain your need to help, King Edmund," Aries warned the younger King when she saw his hands reaching for his blade. She took his hand in her own and held it, feeling his fingers twitch.

"I cannot just stand by and watch..." he trailed off, noticing someone missing from Aries' side. "Where is Prince Caspian?"

The look Aries gave him told him to wait, that all would be explained in time.

Each move King Miraz made against High King Peter seemed to be a copy of the last, almost repetitive, but that never stopped him from being able to take a blow at the Narnian High King. The difference in height wasn't astounding between the two Kings, but the added inches King Miraz had put him at an advantage and it showed.

One hit to his head from King Miraz's shield had High King Peter's helmet skidding across the floor, broken. He leaned back, disorientated, to dodge the sword that followed and his chainmail slid away from his hair. After, he fell to one knee and swung his sword – his reward for this movement was a slash just below King Miraz's knee.

Panting, the two Kings leapt at each other again and, when King Miraz made a move to kill High King Peter, the latter rolled under his sword and quickly moved to his knees and got up again. They once again moved to each other, hitting the shield of their opponent – King Miraz hit his shield against the Magnificent King's and pushed him to the ground.

Aries jumped when High King Peter landed, his arm with the shield strapped under it vulnerable, and before he could move, King Miraz stepped on High King Peter's shield, and the sound of cracking and Peter's screaming all coming in at once. Aires shook and pressed her face into King Edmund's shoulder through instinct – she may not like High King Peter as much as his brother, but she could not stand to see him in so much pain when he was fighting for Narnia's freedom.

Now working with only one arm, High King Peter blocked King Miraz's sword and rolled away. King Miraz followed him, but the Narnian King blocked every attempt made with his sword. He turned quickly and pushed both his sword and shield at King Miraz, the quick movement enough to bring the Telmarine to the ground as High King Peter stood.

"Prince Caspian!" Aries gasped, seeing the young Telmarine Prince riding towards them on a brown horse – Queen Susan was sat behind him, but there was no Valiant Queen in sight. Panic flashed through her and she was sure that the same feeling swept through King Edmund and High King Peter as well.

"Does his Highness need respite?" King Miraz panted mockingly, his voice thick with fatigue as he watched High King Peter's laboured breaths.

"Five minutes?" he requested, his words barely sounded through his heaving lungs.

"Three," growled King Miraz, the finality of his tone enough to make High King Peter agree to the time set. Both fighters turned to their people and the High King immediately winced, clutching his injured arm as King Miraz limped to the other Telmarines.

"Prince Caspian," Aries said again as he and Queen Susan walked to them, High King Peter being led away from the duel by King Edmund.

"Lucy?" asked High King Peter anxiously.

Queen Susan and Caspian both glanced at each other, gazing at Peter with truthful eyes, "She got through…" said Queen Susan who looked up at Prince Caspian gratefully, "With a little help."

High King Peter took a deep, laboured breath, gazing back at Caspian like a true King, "Thanks," he panted, still clutching his arm as King Edmund took his sword and shield.

"Well you were busy," replied Caspian easily, nodding his head. He turned to Aries and smiled. "You have no more need to worry about Queen Lucy than you do for any other Narnian here," he told her honestly. Aries wanted to smile, but her face was grim.

"Things aren't looking so wonderful here," she told him, skipping any greeting or niceties and telling him the whole truth.

"What?" Prince Caspian frowned, looking at High King Peter in question. Queen Susan had left, running to join the archers on the _How_, as King Edmund moved to set his brothers arm right again.

"Keep smiling," mumbled King Edmund, glancing at the Narnians that silently awaited a sign of health from their battle-weary King. High King Peter smiled, grudgingly trying to hold in the pain as he lifted up his sword in glory. As did Prince Caspian and King Edmund as they looked pass the Narnians with toothy grins. Aries couldn't manage to look joyful, so instead she gazed at the forest where Queen Lucy was searching for Aslan.

King Edmund took High King Peter to his seat, as the latter groaned in pain, looking up at him in exasperation, "I think it's dislocated," High King Peter said simply, as King Edmund laid his hand on his brother's arm.

Aries didn't listen to them, though she did flinch when she heard a crack followed by High King Peter's hiss of pain. She hurried away from them, across the area of the duel, and fetched High King Peter's helmet. She held it to her as she froze – the Telmarines were glaring at her, as she had expected; she was, after all, a Narnian. Holding the helmet tighter than she needed to, she hurried back across the ruins of the battle and held the helmet out to the High King.

"I thought you'd want this back," she told him plainly. High King Peter nodded and took it from her, turning it over in his hands.

"Broken," he sighed, placing it down. "Thanks, anyway," he added, offering Aries a brief smile. She nodded back and looked to Prince Caspian.

"They're planning something," she told them.

"What makes you think that?" King Edmund asked her. She shrugged and glanced at the Telmarines before turning back to the royals of Narnia.

"They were talking, quietly," she said, "but silenced when I walked over to get the helmet."

"It could be some sort of plan," agreed High King Peter. "I have to get back out there, plan or not."

"Be careful, my King," she bowed, showing the first true sign of respect to High King Peter she had offered since his arrival.

King Miraz, having seen High King Peter put his helmet down and not on his head, violently pushed aside his own helmet as he regained enough energy to stand up and continue his battle. High King Peter and King Miraz circled the battle grounds across each other, holding up their swords securely, and the fight continued.

Narnians cheered as their King battled for their freedom, and the end of their suffering under the large thumb of the Telmarines. King Miraz, with his injury wrapped tightly, moved first with many strong attacks. He pushed High King Peter back effortlessly, the younger male unable to do anything but block weakly. It was clear that King Miraz was targeting his injured arm, but it was harder for High King Peter to block and attack King Miraz's leg in the same way.

The first to lose his sword was King Miraz, who then used his shield to block all attacks. High King Peter had, at some point, let go of his shield and was now using both hands to offer more power behind his sword. However, when King Miraz captured his sword and hit it away, High King Peter – with no shield, either – was once again at the disadvantage.

High King Peter grabbed King Miraz's shield and twisted it behind the older King's back, but did not expect the Telmarine to elbow him in the face – truly, duelling had changed a lot since he was last in Narnia. Aries held her breath as King Miraz threw High King Peter aside and picked up the closest sword – his own – and wildly struck at High King Peter.

Moving faster than would seem possible with his injured arm, High King Peter blocked the sword with his armour and pushed it aside, leaning down quickly and throwing a fist at King Miraz's injured knee. The man howled in pain and moved away, clutching his knee tightly as High King Peter took the Telmarine's sword from the ground.

"Respite!" he cried pleadingly, looking up at High King Peter for some sign of mercy as he fell to his knees. High King Peter rushed to his aid – hearing the cry for respite – but King Edmund's voice stopped him.

"Now's not the time for chivalry, Peter!" his younger brother exclaimed. Aries frowned as she watched High King Peter drop his fist, soon turning around to face his people who cheered in joy for their King. He had chosen to honour the call for a rest, but King Miraz took advantage of his kindness.

"Look out!" screamed Aries, her eyes widening as King Miraz's sword drew closer to the High King's back.


	9. In Which A War Is Won

Chapter Nine

"Look out!" screamed Aries, her eyes widening as King Miraz's sword drew closer to the High King's back.

High King Peter turned around in an instant and the world seemed to stand still as he yelled, plunging his sword into the stomach of King Miraz. The Telmarine's pain-filled gasp echoed through Aries' ears as she watched, with dazed eyes, as he fell to his knees again and High King Peter pulled the sword back.

"Kill me now," he spat, looking up at King Peter smugly as he clutched his bleeding wound. "What's the matter, _boy_?" King Miraz asked disrespectfully, mockingly, "Too cowardly to take a life?" he sneered.

High King Peter's face was calm and this in itself was enough to infuriate the Telmarine King. "It's not mine to take," he responded snappily, blinking once as he turned around, offering his sword to Prince Caspian. High King Peter nodded as he stepped aside, allowing Prince Caspian to walk slowly towards King Miraz.

Aries watched as Caspian gently slipped his fingers through the sword, taking slow steps towards King Miraz as if he had been praying that his will alone would guide him to rest his sword in the cavern where King Miraz's heart would have been. He lifted his sword, about to strike, when King Miraz spoke to his nephew quietly.

"Perhaps I was wrong," he acknowledged, looking up at Prince Caspian, "maybe you _do_ have the makings of a Telmarine King, after all."

"No," Aries whispered, wanting to run to Prince Caspian but knowing it was not her place to interfere. King Miraz lowered his head, as though he was ready to accept falling at the hands of a 'true Telmarine King'.

Caspian lifted his sword up, aiming well as his eyes had been filled with fear, hatred, and almost relief. He had been shaking, the sword moving up and down from the vibration of his body. Suddenly, he cried out and plunged the sword down. It did not pierce King Miraz, though, but through the grass instead. He sneered.

"Not one like you," Caspian replied with utmost hatred. "I will never be like you, I swear it. You can have your life, but I'm giving Narnia back their kingdom!" he exclaimed, turning to the Narnians, who cheered as he walked away. Aries let a sigh of relief leave her as Caspian walked away from Miraz, who was helped up by Lord Sopespian.

"Prince Caspian," she smiled, rushing to him and wrapping her arms around his armoured torso, "you did well."

"I am glad you think so," he chuckled. All merriment was washed away when a Telmarine Lord began to yell.

"They've shot him!" Sopespian screamed out to the Telmarine soldiers, "They've murdered our King!" he continued; pointing accusingly towards Queen Susan and the archers.

Seeing the impending war, High King Peter yelled, "Be ready!" to the Narnian soldiers. The archers immediately prepared their bows and Aries unsheathed her blades, holding them as King Edmund had instructed her. Almost instantly, she growled and threw them aside, allowing flames to take over her body.

"Look out!" King Edmund called to High King Peter, who was about to get struck by a Telmarine soldier. Aries leapt forwards and shot a stream of flames towards him, flinching as he screamed in pain. The fire quickly burnt through him, as not other flame could have, and he was dead.

"Thanks," High King Peter gasped, still holding his sword ready.

"I apologise, King Edmund," Aries cringed, "but, the smell aside, this is the most affective was for me to fight. I am not good enough with a blade to truly stand against the Telmarines."

"Don't worry," gulped King Edmund. "I just – I had no idea you could do," he paused, looking from the ashes of the soldier to the innocent-looking Nymph, who tilted her head, "that."

"Hmm," Aries smirked, turning again to the Telmarine army and sending spheres of fire to her fists. "Here they come," she muttered.

Balls of rock from the catapults hit the ground and Aries cried out, moving in just enough time to dodge. Prince Caspian leapt onto the back of the horse he had used to rescue Queen Susan and offered his hand to Aries, but she stopped and smiled. Getting an idea, she ran towards the _How_; climbing up to the archers, she looked to Queen Susan. "What is it?" the Queen asked.

"Give me a moment, Highness," she requested, "to take aim."

"Of course," Queen Susan smiled, nodding. Aries closed her eyes and warned everyone to stand away from her as more and more flames took her body. When she opened her eyes again, they were no longer like molten gold, but completely black – sclera and all.

"What in the world –" gasped Trumpkin; he had never seen her release her power to this extent.

"Careful," Aries whispered to herself, "not too much," she added. She was scared of falling to her flames – as her control was not absolute. Stopping, herself, when her skin turned grey and dress was made entirely of flame, she blinked – her eyelashes themselves were burning.

"Be careful, Aries," Queen Susan warned as she sweated – the heat was intense – and aimed her bow. "Archers to the ready!" exclaimed the Gentle Queen as more rocks were thrown.

"Ahh!" cried Aries, shooting a stream of flames into the air, her hands tilted towards the Telmarines. The stream broke up into large balls of flames and the Nymph gritted her teeth, letting most of the infernos go, but trying to disperse the ones that would fall too near to the Narnians.

The Telmarines screamed in pain when they were caught in the blaze, but by then many had already charged and had managed to escape the fires. Tired from this attack, Aries panted and nodded to Queen Susan. She leapt down from the _How_ and ran to Prince Caspian and the two Kings, all of whom were focused on the approaching army.

"That was amazing, Aries," grinned King Edmund, though he did not look at her.

"Focus on the battle," scolded Prince Caspian. High king Peter nodded in agreement with his words. They stood still, their plan of action not yet requiring them to attack; the only reason Aries had thrown her fires was because of the War Machines. Prince Caspian and Glenstorm charged into the _How_, ready to put the plan into action.

"One, two," whispered High King Peter, holding his sword as he, Aries and King Edmund stood still by the stone tables, watching as the Telmarines marched towards them and the war machines continued to shoot boulders at them, "three, four," the Telmarines were closing in, "five, six..."

"Take your aim!" called Queen Susan.

"...seven, eight," he stopped, "nine," High King Peter grinned at his brother and Aries nodded, "Get ready!" he called.

"Ten!" the three at the stone tables cried.

All of a sudden, the Dancing Lawn shook and a line of rock churned together, the earth folding into itself. The underground chambers of _Aslan's How_ had been destroyed, leaving the Telmarine soldiers – shocked and confused – to charge into the fault in the earth. Prince Caspian and the rest of the Narnian soldiers arose from the hidden passageway to the surface and charged around the back, surrounding the Telmarine cavalry.

"Now!" screamed Queen Susan. Her archers let their arrows fly and the dainty weapons soared to their targets.

"Charge!" High King Peter ordered loudly, leading the Narnians towards the Telmarines that had not fallen into the hole or had been hit by Queen Susan's archers. With the archers supporting them from the _How_, the Narnians drew their weapons and ran forwards. "For Narnia!" he yelled, running towards the Telmarines.

The Telmarine army cried out, some dropping dead or unconscious from the blood loss. Narnia's regiment of Griffins took flight, carrying rocks to drop on the Telmarines. Now it was time for Aries' part. She rushed for the _How_, using her speed and agility to climb to the very top in a few moments. Once there, she released her powers again and shot fireballs at the rocks the Griffins were dropping. The balls of rock and flame hit the ground where the Telmarines stood, killing more than they injured.

More Griffins were sent out, these carrying Dwarven archers as they carried them over the Telmarine army. The Telmarines brought out another weapon, this one able to shoot ten javelins at once. It took down many of the Griffins with one shot and Aries gulped. One of the javelins flew towards her, but she burnt it to ashes before it could get close to her.

Aries didn't hear the order, but noticed all Narnians still alive were retreating to the _How_. Before she could begin her decent, Aries noticed the rocks being hurled at the entrance to _Aslan's How_ and gasped. She incinerated a few of them, but ultimately there were just too many for her to destroy alone.

Feeling the complex shake violently, Aries knew they had succeeded in destroying the entrance. She slipped and panic took her as she reached out, managing to hold onto a vine before she could tumble all the way down the _How_. Gulping, Aries pulled herself back up and sighed, seeing that High King Peter had been forced to charge again.

Doing all she could, Aries created a bow out of flames, shooting arrows of fire at the Telmarines – this was better for aim, but she still had to be careful. After her initial act of sending balls of fire at the Telmarines, her flames weren't as hot as a Nymph's fire usually was, but she was still able to do damage. Just as she had shot an arrow at the Telmarines by the War Weapons, she paused and looked to see how everyone was doing.

Seeing a Telmarine about to strike King Edmund from behind, she growled and summoned another fire arrow. Shooting it, Aries watched the arrow meet her target before looking away and creating a large flaming disk above her head – smirking, Aries aimed towards a large group of Telmarines who had yet to charge. She threw it and watched as the Telmarines cried out; they were unable to put out the flames she had created.

A loud roar was all she heard before a life flooded through her that she hadn't felt since she was a child. Her energy felt replenished as she looked to the forest and saw the trees charging at the Telmarines. They were awake. That could only mean one thing.

What looked like a large explosion of fire rose from the crack in the ground, pushing out all Narnians and burning the Telmarines still trapped. Aries paused, unsure, until she ran down the side of _Aslan's How_, shooting towards the fire. As she ran towards the flames, she could make out the faces of her old friends and family – her brother and father beckoned her to them.

"Aries," a voice yelled, "wait!" cried Prince Caspian. She ignored him and allowed her powers to fully emerge from her body as she leapt into the fire – now she too was what appeared to be a dancing flame with a face, as if her entire form were made out of fire.

Fire exploded from the line of dancing Nymphs, but only struck Telmarine soldiers; if a blaze ever touched the Narnians, it was cold and instantly vanished – the true power of the Fire Nymphs. Prince Caspian, King Edmund, High King Peter and Queen Susan stood in awe of the dancing flames; they didn't look as though they were at war at all.

"Lucy…" murmured High King Peter in exasperation and relief, coming up with the only conclusion he could after seeing the revival of the Fire Nymphs and the Dryads.

The Narnians continued battling, but made way as the trees raised their roots, pulling soldiers towards them as they had been strangled and stepped on. The Telmarines began to retreat, their speed only hastened by the trails of fire shot at them from the Dancing Fire Nymphs. The Narnians followed, chasing the Telmarines to prevent their escape.

The Telmarines stopped before a beautiful clear blue river, a wooden bridge newly built over the past few days since they had learned of the Narnians' existence. Lord Sopespian had gone first, stopping dead at the sight of a young girl as she gently pulled out a dagger. Queen Lucy had returned, and beside her was the figure of a Great Lion.

Flames rose around the bridge on the land – the Fire Nymphs had followed them – as the Telmarines were pushed into the river and onto the bridge. They avoided the flames of the Nymphs this way. Aries watched from beside her brethren as the Telmarines panicked, not wanted to be trapped but unable to leave the river or the bridge. Behind the Fire Nymphs, on the side of the river they had all immerged from, the Narnians stood with their weapons.

As the Telmarines became surrounded, Aslan glanced at Queen Lucy with sharp topaz eyes, turning his gaze then back to Lord Sopespian, who believed that dealing with a little girl and her pet Lion would be as simple as it had been for King Caspian the Conqueror to take control. Turning to the Telmarines, he yelled, "Charge!"

Aslan gave a large growl as they ran towards him and Queen Lucy, and then roared loudly. The sound pierced through the Telmarines, placing enough fear in their hearts to stop them from moving any closer. To the Narnians, however, his roar had given comfort and reissuance.

Aslan; King of the Wood, Lord of Beasts, Son of the Emperor Over the Sea, had finally returned.

Water began to rush backwards, the Telmarine soldiers began to panic, attempting to escape from the river. It had been expected though, for the Telmarines were afraid of the wonders of rivers, the power of Aslan. The water arose, turning into the form of a man that looked over the Telmarines – a Lord Naiad. The Telmarines began to scream, rushing to land.

The Naiad slowly pulled some soldiers into it; picking up the bridge that Lord Sopespian, mounted on his horse, and other soldiers stood on. The man began to scream, pulling back as the Water Spirit lifted him closer to his mouth. The Naiad swallowed Lord Sopespian and his horse, both disappearing as the water collapsed back into its form as a river.

Releasing their powers, the Fire Nymphs stood as people before the gathered Narnians. All with tan skin, golden eyes and various shades of red and yellow hair. Prince Caspian and King Edmund looked over them, finding it suddenly difficult to find Aries in the group of Nymphs – all shorter than humans but taller than Dwarfs.

"It's wonderful," smiled Queen Susan as she found Aries. The two boys followed her line of sight and gaped. Aries was surrounded by various Nymphs, many crying and all looking glad to see her again. Two boys, who looked older than them, kissed her forehead while a man scooped the girl into his arms.

"That must be her family," High King Peter nodded. Aries looked over to them and smiled widely, running to Prince Caspian and hugging him tightly.

"My people are free!" she laughed happily, "I finally have my brothers and father back, and all of my friends!"

"I am happy for you," Prince Caspian chuckled, patting her head as she let go.

After this the Telmarine soldiers, firmly but without taunts or blows, were taken across the ford and all put under lock and key in the town of Beruna and given beef and beer. They made a great fuss about wading in the river, for they all hated and feared running water just as much as they hated and feared woods and animals.

The Kings of Old, Queen Susan and Prince Caspian made their way towards Aslan and Queen Lucy through the calm waters. They each gazed at Aslan with awe and guilt, going on their knees as a sign of respect.

"Rise, Kings and Queens of Narnia," he said, power in his voice, looking down at them with royal amber eyes. All arose but Caspian, who stayed kneeling on the floor with his head tilted down. "All of you," Aslan said with a grin.

"I – I don't think I am ready, Sir," said Prince Caspian. "I'm only a boy," he added, remembering what Trufflehunter had said about him when they had first met.

"Good," said Aslan. "If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been a proof that you were not. Therefore, under us and under the High King, you shall be King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Emperor of the Lone Islands. You and your heirs while your race lasts. And your coronation - but what have we here?"

For at that moment a curious little procession was approaching – eleven Mice were walking sadly to the Great Lion, six of carrying something on a litter made of branches. They were plastered with mud some with blood too, and their ears were down and their whiskers drooped. Their tails dragged in the grass, and their leader piped on his slender pipe a melancholy tune.

On the litter lay what seemed little better than a damp heap of fur; all that was left of Reepicheep. He was still breathing, but more 'dead' than 'alive', gashed with innumerable wounds, one paw crushed, and, where his tail had been, a bandaged stump. Queen Lucy gasped and hurried forwards, her diamond bottle clutched in her hand in a moment.

She slipped one drop into his mouth and everyone waited with baited breath, praying for Reepicheep to awaken. It was a joyous moment when the Master Mouse sprang from the litter. His hand went at once to his sword hilt; with the other he twirled his whiskers. He bowed. Aries, glad that her friend was safe, smiled in relief.

"Hail, Aslan!" came his shrill voice. "I have the honour –" But then he suddenly stopped, stumbling. He looked over his right shoulder. Failing to see his tail, he strained his neck further till he had to turn his shoulders and his whole body followed. Only after he had turned completely round three times did he realize the dreadful truth. "I am confounded," said Reepicheep to Aslan. "I am completely out of countenance. I must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion."

"It becomes you very well, Small One," said Aslan calmingly.

"All the same," replied Reepicheep, "if anything could be done. Perhaps her Majesty?" and here he bowed to Queen Lucy.

"I don't think it works like that," the Valiant smiled apologetically.

"But what do you want with a tail?" asked Aslan

"Sir," said the Mouse, "I can eat and sleep and die for my King without one. But a tail is the honour and glory of a Mouse."

"I have sometimes wondered, friend," said Aslan, "whether you do not think too much about your honour."

"Highest of all High Kings," said Reepicheep, "permit me to remind you that a very small size has been bestowed on us Mice, and if we did not guard our dignity, some would allow themselves very unsuitable pleasantries at our expense."

"Why, have your followers all drawn their swords, may I ask?" said Aslan. The Master Mouse looked at his fellows and gasped.

"May it please your High Majesty," said the second Mouse, whose name was Peepiceek, "we are all waiting to cut off our own tails if our Chief must go without his. We will not bear the shame of wearing an honour which is denied to the High Mouse."

"Ah!" roared Aslan. "You have conquered me. You have great hearts. Not for the sake of your dignity, Reepicheep, but for the love that is between you and your people, you shall have your tail again."

"M-My tail!" Reepicheep cheered, for the tail had appearing during Aslan's words to him. "Thank you, Great One!" he bowed deeply.

Then, at Aslan's command, High King Peter bestowed the Knighthood of the Order of the Lion on Prince Caspian, and Caspian, as soon as he was knighted, he bestowed it on Trufflehunter and Trumpkin and Reepicheep, and made Doctor Cornelius his Lord Chancellor, and confirmed the Bulgy Bear in his hereditary office of Marshal of the Lists.

"Dear One," he said, addressing Queen Lucy, "where is this Fire Nymph you have told me about?"

"She's right here," giggled Queen Lucy, her hand in Aslan's mane. Aries looked up from Reepicheep to the Queen and the Great Lion, taking a step forwards and falling to her knees.

"Aslan," she acknowledged.

"Rise, faithful one," Aslan allowed and Aries obeyed him. "Lucy has told me of your unending belief that I would return."

"Yes, Sir," she confirmed, bowing her head.

"To have such faith," he continued, "and yet to have lost so much is a trait most admirable. Your family was taken from you, and you lived without them through most of your life, yet you still believed that I would return when the time was right."

"I believe what I know," she smiled, "and here you are."

"Here I am," Aslan agreed, "naming you the truest believer I have ever met of my own Children," he smiled referring to his Narnians. "I am grateful for your undying faith, and as a reward you shall be given one wish."

"I..." Aries stopped, looking back to her family and smiling. "I wish that my people knew me, and I knew them, as though we were never apart."

"Why is this?" Aslan asked, inclining his head towards her.

"My people are a passionate race," she smiled, "driven by emotion and our relationships are slow-forming. By now, if I had stayed with them, I would be closer to them."

"But aren't your people the ones surrounding you now?" the Great Lion questioned, looking at the royals. An image of Trufflehunter and Trumpkin entered her mind, followed by Glenstorm and his sons. "If that is your wish, though –"

"No, wait!" she cried, holding out her hands. "I...I have a different wish. One that I will feel no regret for making."

"What is this wish, Young One?" asked Aslan. Aries walked to him and moved her mouth to his ear, whispering. Aslan nodded, "A fine wish to make. It is so, _Lady_ Aries, first Lady Knight of Narnia," he decreed, breathing deeply. A scream of joy sounded from the other side of the river and everyone turned, seeing Windmane crying as she hugged her youngest son.

"Rainstone?" Prince Caspian gasped, "But he was..."

"The young Nymph wished for her friend to live a full life," Aslan told him as Aries grinned, running towards the edge of the river and watching Rainstone's family and fellow Centaurs rush over to him. He told them what had happened, how he had been brought back to life, and all of the Centaurs turned.

"Praise Aries!" they all cheered, lifting their swords and bows to the Nymph as she grinned. Watching them look back to Rainstone, she sighed – she was glad that they had Rainstone back, that his life had not been wasted.

Aries smiled as she turned and walked to the ones she knew she belonged with most. The Nymphs were alive again, and whole. However, it was not the Nymphs who Aries stood with.

Smiling at her brothers and father, they nodded in understanding and the Nymphs watched sadly as Aries moved away from them.

She placed her hand on the head of a Badger as she pulled a Red Dwarf towards her.

"Aries!" Trufflehunter scolded, "You had me worried."

"Next time you run off," Trumpkin added, "tell us where you're going."

She knew her family.


	10. In Which The Story Ends

Chapter Ten

Next day messengers – namely the Squirrels and birds – were sent all over the country with a proclamation to the scattered Telmarines – including, of course, the prisoners in Beruna. They were told that Caspian was now King and that Narnia would henceforth belong to the Talking Beasts and the Dwarfs and Dryads and Nymphs and other creatures quite as much as to the men. Any who chose to stay under the new conditions might do so; but for those who did not like the idea, Aslan would provide another home. Anyone who wished to go there must come to Aslan and the Kings at the Ford of Beruna.

"Aries!" called King Caspian happily as he found her in the courtyard of his castle. In his hand was a leather-bound book. "Sorry, I mean _Lady_ Aries."

"Please, do not," Aries sighed, "refer to me by my title."

"I will stop when you do, also," he grinned, spreading out his arms. "Well?"

"Well, what?" the Nymph asked, frowning and crossing her arms. King Caspian smiled and took her wrists, pulling her arms away from her and spinning her under his own arms.

"How do I look in my court clothes?" he asked, releasing the girl. Aries turned and tilted her head as she looked at him – King Caspian in all his Telmarine-fashioned glory.

"Why are your sleeves so..." she trailed off, tugging on the left sleeve of his jacket, "puffy," she ended with a giggle. The Telmarine's jaw dropped and he looked at his clothes, no longer finding them so impressive – he suddenly wished he had kept to the blue leather vest that Aries had liked so much.

"Well," he chuckled nervously, "I suppose it is just Telmarine fashion, no?"

"Fashion?" hummed Aries, "No," she giggled again. The girl, seeing King Caspian's dismayed expression, cleared her throat. "I am only joking," she assured him. "You look dashing," Aries assured her King. He grinned.

"Thank you for such a thoughtful lie," he appraised.

"I try," Aries shrugged.

"Could you stay here for a moment?" he requested, holding up one finger and smiling at the Nymph. Aries nodded and King Caspian ran away quickly, up the steps and away from her view.

Sighing slightly, Aries folded her arms. She felt rather uncomfortable – being a Narnian in a Telmarine castle after 1300 years of war. However, King Caspian's presence eased this discomfort – point being, he was not there. Someone cleared their throat behind her and Aries turned, expecting to see the Telmarine King, but feeling a little disappointed when it was Trufflehunter her eyes fell on.

"Hello, old friend," she greeted happily, kneeling down and hugging him.

"Good day, my friend," he said back, squeezing her shoulders in his arms before they both backed away from each other. "Aries I must ask you a question."

"What is it?" the girl enquired with a small smile.

"It's just," he stopped, grinning widely, "Trumpkin and I were considering your living arrangements. It seems that the King has had a room prepared in the castle specifically for you, but I was under the impression that you were coming back home with myself and Trumpkin."

"I am," she nodded, but paused. "At least, I think I am," the girl added.

"I was hoping you'd stay," King Caspian called from atop the stairs. Aries and Trufflehunter turned to greet him and the King held a book in his hand. "If you recall, I promised to read you my book about the dragon."

"Really?" she smiled, her eyes alight. "That would be wonderful!" she grinned while clapping her hands. King Caspian's face softened as he observed her in her new gown.

It was made of an orange corset torso, laced at the front with black strings which were held to the corset with silver clasps. The top of the corset was made of four layers of cloth, yellow at the top, with red under it, then another yellow layer and finally a layer of red again – the red layers were spiked while the yellow layers were cut into waves. The corset was held by two orange straps that went over her shoulders.

Around her waist was a red satin sash that tied at the side and under the sash fell her darker orange skirt, which glimmered like a thousand sparks. It had a crimson lining around the bottom and was cut to her hip on one side, revealing soft yellow trousers beneath and orange slippers.

This item of clothing had been a gift from her people – they understood her decision to stay with Trufflehunter and Trumpkin and had told her that she was welcome to stay with them at any time. Well, most of them had. King Caspian remembered well the threats he and King Edmund had received from her brothers – the much shorter men's hissing had warned him not only of treating Aries with respect, but also of a Fire Nymph's temper.

"Well, I'll just be going then," Trufflehunter said, excusing himself from the King's presence rather casually.

"Can we sit here to read it?" Aries requested, looking around the courtyard.

"Of course, my Lady," he winked, walking to sit by the banister of the stone staircase, leaning against the cold marble. Aries – who had _not_ grown up in court or even around men of her own age – decided that the best way to see the book as he read it was to sit in his lap, so she did as she believed she should.

"What's it called, anyway?" she asked, oblivious to King Caspian's red face and shocked expression. Realising that she meant nothing by her choice of seat, and feeling a little disappointed at the thought, King Caspian cleared his throat.

"It is called; _The Battle of Sir Caspian_," he smirked. Aries scoffed.

"I may be unable to read, but I am no fool," she told him. "I have seen your name written, and it looks nothing like this," Aries added, pointing to the word she believed was the name of the main character.

"That is because that says 'Battle'," King Caspian smiled gently as she stiffed, clearly embarrassed, "but you are right. This is _The Battle of Sir Bega_," he added quickly before Aries felt the need to leave. She relaxed into him again and the King opened the book, beginning to read.

"It's really sweet, isn't it?" smiled Queen Lucy as she looked down from the balcony surrounding the courtyard. Her oldest brother and sister had been summoned by Aslan, so she was walking with King Edmund when she spotted the duo. "Aries looks so pretty in her formal clothes."

"She sure looks different," King Edmund acknowledged, glad that the topic had switched from King Caspian and Lady Aries to _just_ Aries, "Different from herself and any other Lady at court."

"_Lady_ Aries," Queen Lucy said wistfully. "She really _is_ a Lady, isn't she?" she grinned widely. King Edmund sighed and nodded.

"She was named Lady Representative of the Fire Nymphs," he replied, "by Aslan himself. So, that obviously means she's nobility, now."

"Not that she'll ever accept anyone called her 'Lady', regardless of what Aslan decrees," the Valliant Queen giggled.

"What's so funny?" High King Peter asked with a small smile as he and Queen Susan approached them.

"Nothing," King Edmund said quickly.

"Is that King Caspian?" the High King grinned, "Good thing, too, I need to speak with him," he added, hurrying down the stairs. Queen Susan and Queen Lucy walked away, chatting about how 'sweet' King Caspian and Lady Aries looked together.

"What is it, King Peter?" King Caspian asked as he and Aries stood.

"A moment, please," he nodded, gesturing away. The new King nodded as well and handed Aries the book they were reading.

"Perhaps another time?" he smiled. Aries agreed and the two taller royals walked away, leaving the Nymph in the courtyard alone. Jumping when he realised the chance to speak with her privately – and out of wartime – King Edmund all but ran down the stairs.

"Lady Aries! What a pleasure!" he greeted cheerfully as she looked towards him with a smile.

"Hello, King Edmund," she bowed. In her longer dress, it looked even stranger than it usually did, and Aries straightened to a height just below King Edmund's shoulder. When she looked up at him, smile still in place, King Edmund noticed the book.

"_The Battle of Sir Bega_?" he read gleefully, "I read that once during the Golden Age; the author was actually a member of court," he told her. Aries nodded, her head bobbing and her hair catching the breeze. "How are you finding it?"

"Well, King Caspian has only read up to page..." she paused, opening the book to the picture of Sir Bega at a banquet and turning three pages, "to here," she said, pointing to the page.

"Page twenty nine?" King Edmund read from the bottom, watching Aries carefully and trying to understand what was going on. "Lady Aries...why was King Caspian reading it to you?" he asked.

"Oh, well," she stuttered, her face turning red, "I – I cannot...read it alone."

"Why ever not?" he frowned, still unsure.

"I...I cannot...read," she admitted after a moment. "King Caspian offered to teach me," Aries said before King Edmund could speak, "but I said 'no', because Trufflehunter had already tried and failed once before."

"Well, then," he smiled, "how about I read to you until King Caspian gets back?"

"Truly?" she gasped happily as King Edmund sat down where King Caspian had been leaning, holding his hand out for the book. Aries gave it to him and sat with him as she had with King Caspian and the Just King began to read.

As he read her the words that seemed to make sense to almost everyone but her, Aries took the time to observe the King. She had glanced at him once or twice, but never really taken in his features as she had King Caspian – a Prince, then. He had dark hair, though it was slightly curled and short, and brown eyes that resembled the wood of the trees. His skin was pale, paler than hers, and he was tall – though not as tall as King Caspian or High King Peter.

"Are you even listening, Lady Aries?" he sighed, an amused smile playing at his lips. He had caught her staring at him, though she seemed unaffected at being noticed and simply shrugged.

"Honestly, I was miles away," she said, moving her fingers from her forehead and into the air, as if to demonstrate. "I am sorry for not paying attention, King Edmund."

"King Edmund," Pattertwig called as he scampered into the courtyard, "Oh, Lady Aries, too!"

"What is it?" King Edmund asked as they stood up, Aries taking the book from him and holding the place she and King Caspian had gotten to – as she had not paid attention to the Just King.

"The Great Lion has called for a gathering at the Ford of Beruna," he told them breathlessly, "and you must both come at once. The Queens of Old and High King Peter, as well as King Caspian, have already gone." With those words, the Squirrel left towards the Ford.

"It must be important," Aries smiled, "if Pattertwig saw fit not to rant and rave as he usually does."

"Indeed," King Edmund agreed, offering his arm to escort her to the Ford. Aries, no yet used to such manners and actions, looked shocked for a moment before linking her arm in the crook of his elbow and allowing him to lead her away from the stone courtyard.

When they arrived, they heard complains and shouts from the Telmarines and Narnians both about how they refused to live together. Voices were loud on both sides as King Edmund guided Lady Aries through the crowd and released her once they got to where Aslan stood. After kneeling respectfully in front of him, they parted ways – the Just King standing with his siblings to one side, and Aries standing with King Caspian on the other side.

"Men of Telmar," said Aslan at last, silencing the crowd, "you who seek a new land, hear my words. I will send you all to your own country, which I know and you do not."

"We don't remember Telmar. We don't know where it is. We don't know what it is like," grumbled the Telmarines.

"You came into Narnia out of Telmar," said Aslan, "but you came into Telmar from another place. You do not belong to this world at all. You came hither, certain generations ago, out of that same world to which the Kings and Queens of Old belongs."

Whispers spread across the crowds. "Be silent!" King Caspian ordered, and a hush fell over them all.

"You, Sir Caspian," Aslan said, "might have known that you could be no true King of Narnia unless, like the Kings of old, you were a son of Adam and came from the world of Adam's sons. And so you are. Many years ago in that world, a shipload of pirates was driven by storm on an island and there they found a cave in which to rest. They then found themselves in this world, in the Land of Telmar which was then unpeopled. In Telmar their descendants lived and became a fierce and proud people; and after many generations there was a famine in Telmar and they invaded Narnia and conquered it and ruled it. Do you mark all this well, King Caspian?"

"I do indeed, Sir," said Caspian. "I was wishing that I came of a more honourable lineage."

"You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve," said Aslan. "And that is both, honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on Earth. Be content."

Caspian bowed. "Of course," he answered.

"And now," said Aslan, "you men and women of Telmar; will you go back to that island in the world of men from which your fathers first came? The chasm is open for your return; but this I must warn you – once you have gone through, it will close behind you forever. There will be no more commerce between the worlds by that door."

There was silence for a moment. Then a burly, decent looking fellow among the

Telmarine soldiers pushed forward and said:

"Well, I'll take the offer."

"As will we," the widow of Miraz added, stepping forwards with her child in her arms.

"It is well chosen," said Aslan. "And because you have spoken first, strong magic is upon you. Your future in that world shall be good. Come forth." The man and the old Queen, now a little pale, came forward. "Go through it," said Aslan, bending towards him and touching the man's nose with his own. As soon as the Lion's breath came about him, a new look came into the man's eyes - startled, but not unhappy - as if he were trying to remember something. Then he squared his shoulders and walked into the Door. The same happened with the old Queen, and soon they were both gone.

From the other end of the glade the remaining Telmarines wailed, "Ugh! What's happened to him? Do you mean to murder us? We won't go that way."

"We don't see any other world through those sticks. If you want us to believe in it, why doesn't one of you go? All your own friends are keeping well away from the sticks," another Telmarine yelled.

Instantly Reepicheep stood forward and bowed. "If my example can be of any service, Aslan," he said, "I will take eleven mice through that arch at your bidding without a moment's delay."

"Nay, little one," said Aslan, laying his velvety paw ever so lightly on Reepicheep's head. "They would do dreadful things to you in that world. They would show you at fairs. It is others who must lead."

"We'll go," interrupted a voice. Aries turned around, and found that it had been High King Peter who had spoken those two words.

"We will?" asked King Edmund, anxiety began to grow in his mind every second; each breath he took in was almost a pain to his chest.

"Come on," said High King Peter suddenly to King Edmund and Queen Lucy – the only two of his three siblings who seemed surprised about him speaking up, "our time's up."

"What do you mean?" asked King Edmund, worry in his tone. He believed that his brother was going barmy, to want to leave Narnia so soon.

"This way," said Susan, who also seemed to know all about it, "Back into the trees. We've got to change."

"Change what?" asked Lucy.

"Our clothes, of course," said Susan. "Nice fools we'd look on the platform of an English station in these."

"English station?" whispered Aries to King Caspian, who merely shrugged; it seemed that no one but the Kings and Queens of Old knew what Queen Susan was saying – perhaps with Aslan as the only exception.

"Was that what Aslan was talking to you and Susan about this morning?" asked Queen Lucy. The siblings had been talking, but Aries hadn't paid close attention to their words – half of what they were saying, after all, made little sense to her.

"Yes – that and other things," said High King Peter, his face very solemn. "I can't tell you everything, I am afraid. There were things he wanted to say to Su and me because we're not coming back to Narnia."

"Never?" cried King Edmund and Queen Lucy in dismay. Aries gasped and wanted to step forwards, if only to comfort Queen Lucy – who looked panicked and distraught – but it was not her place.

"Oh, you two are," answered High King Peter reassuringly. "At least, from what he said, I'm pretty sure he means you to get back some day; but not Su and me. He says we're getting too old."

"Oh, Peter," whimpered Queen Lucy. "Such awful bad luck. Can you bear it?"

"Well, I think I can," the High King smiled, patting her shoulder. He spoke quietly to her and the four Kings and Queens of Old walked to the woods, remaining there for a time.

"What are they doing?" Aries asked King Caspian.

"Changing their clothes, I believe," he replied, gesturing to the forest as the siblings remerged. Queen Susan and Queen Lucy were wearing skirts that fell far above their ankles, showing their whole calve and causing many people to gasp at the revealing outfit – Aries just rolled her eyes and thought of her usual clothing, and how it was far more revealing.

One or two of the nastier Telmarines jeered, not at all affected by the glares sent to the by the Kings and Queens – King Caspian included – and Aries, who saw how it made Queen Lucy fidget under their scrutiny. The other creatures, however, all cheered and rose up in honour of High King Peter the Magnificent, and Queen Susan the Gentle of the Horn, and King Edmund the Just of the Sword, and Queen Lucy the Valiant of the Healing Liquid.

"We must, indeed," he sighed. "After all…" High King Peter added, looking down at King Edmund with sorrowful eyes, then walking to King Caspian as he held out his sword as if it was Caspian's to take, "We're not really needed here anymore," he continued.

"I will look after it until you return –"

"I'm afraid that's just it. We're not coming back," interrupted Queen Susan with teary eyes of sadness, forcing a smile. She clutched her Horn tightly – King Caspian had returned it to her after the Battle of the How. Stepping forwards, she held it out before Lady Aries.

"My Queen," she gasped, "I –"

"Take it," Queen Susan said, still smiling. "I trust you to call on Lucy and Edmund when Narnia needs them. After all, you are a fine Nymph to leave in charge of this."

"I will protect it always," Aries nodded, accepting the Horn. "It is a great honour, Queen Susan," she added, bowing.

"We're not needed?" asked Queen Lucy, and everyone could tell she was holding back tears; her eyes had been watery as her lips began to form into a pout.

"You two are," High King Peter said, gazing at Aslan and meeting the Great Lion's amber gaze, "At least, I think he means you two."

"But why?" asked Queen Lucy with shock in her eyes once more. "Did they do something wrong?"

"Quite the opposite, dear one," Aslan told her calmly, "but all things have their time. Your brother and sister have learned what they can from this world; now it's time for them to live in their own."

There were affectionate and sometimes tearful farewells with all their old friends - animal kisses, and hugs from Bulgy Bears, and hands wrung by Trumpkin, and a last tickly embrace with Trufflehunter. When Queen Lucy turned to Aries, she leapt at the shorter girl and clung as though she never wanted to let go, tears sinking in to Aries' hair as Aries held her back. She felt cold as Queen Lucy – her first friend that had accepted her instantly – released her and King Edmund stepped towards her.

"I will miss you," he told her, "as well as all of Narnia," he added quickly, holding out his hand. Aries stared at it and gulped, pushing his hand aside as he hugged his middle tightly. It took a moment, but King Edmund held her back before he backed away.

"Hurry back, King Edmund," she smiled, watching as he and his siblings stepped towards Aslan to bid him farewell also – it looked to be the hardest 'goodbye' of them all for the sibling. High King Peter took his place with Queen Susan's hands on his shoulders and King Edmund's on hers and Queen Lucy's on his and the first of the Telmarine's – of the ones who had decided to leave – on Lucy's, and so in a long line they moved forward to the Door.

"They're just vanishing," King Caspian noticed with wide eyes. Aries nodded and rested against him.

"Goodbye," she whispered, her words lost in the crowd of home-bound humans.


End file.
